Through The Looking Glass
by Ladyamesindy
Summary: Just how quickly can a plan go from A to Botched? The Collector threat is gone and the galaxy is safe - for now. Or is it? Kaidan Alenko finds himself teamed up with an unexpected partner in an attempt to hold off the Reaper invasion just a bit longer. Submission for the Fall 2013 Mass Effect Big Bang on LiveJournal.
1. Chapter 1

**_Admiral Anderson's office, Alliance HQ, London, 2186_**

"He isn't going to want anything to do with me, Anderson. You do know that, don't you?"

Admiral David Anderson was seated at his desk, eyes down and focused on the information before him while barely sparing a glance towards his companion. "Settle down," he advised calmly after a long moment. "You aren't her, remember?"

Across the room, standing at the large panel window, she turned towards him for a brief moment. Greyish-green eyes narrowed in on him, curly wisps of dark auburn hair breaking free from the long tail trailing down her back to tickle at the freckled features of her face. "I look exactly like her," she pointed out. "When he looks at me, he will be seeing _her_."

That brought Anderson's full attention towards her. Setting aside his datapad, he folded his hands together and allowed his shrewd gaze to fall upon her fully. She had a point, he could admit that much. "Of course you look like her," he reasoned. "You _are_ identical twins."

She sighed, eyes rolling and looking away for a moment, frustration clearly getting the better of her. When her attention refocused on him, he saw the glowering glimmer of her temper flaring, the green in her eyes darkening as it flashed sharply. "He's not going to want to cooperate with this mission because I will remind him of her - of what he's lost - of," she swallowed hard, "what he sees as her betrayal. How is he going to trust this plan and be willing to work with us if he only sees _her_ when he looks at _me_?"

Anderson rose from his seat and crossed the room to stand beside her. Staring out of the window, he clasped his hands together behind his back. "Look, Major Alenko -"

She gasped. "M-major?!" she stammered in surprise. "I thought … I mean, he … he was ...!"

Anderson chuckled. "Hackett didn't mention that part? Interesting. Promotions do happen, you should know that well enough given your family history. And the major is an exceptional soldier. You can set your concerns aside. Major Alenko _will_ go for this plan, of that I have no doubt."

How could he be so certain? she wondered. "But, how do you _know_ that?" she asked. "David, this mission is important - _vitally_ important, I can't stress that enough - and -"

Anderson lifted a hand to her shoulder and squeezed gently, cutting her off. "Relax. I am well aware of how important it is. If it will put your mind at ease, I know that Major Alenko will agree to this plan because he is nothing if not -"

The hiss of the office door opening behind them caught their attention then, but it was only Anderson who turned to face the new arrival. She remained standing at the window, back to them both, staring out into the distance again. Her nerves were dancing. This mission was too important to be nipped in the bud if Alenko wouldn't play along ….

"Ah, major," Anderson greeted him. "Good to see you. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

Kaidan snapped to attention, saluting Anderson before lowering his hand and reaching it out to take the older man's in a warm grasp. "Good to see you too, sir. I came as soon as I could. Your message said it was important?"

"I knew I could count on you, major," Anderson replied. He gestured towards some chairs nearby and they both took seats. Settling in, Anderson gave Kaidan an assessing look. "And yes, it is very important. I think we both know we have little time to spare before the Reapers pose more than just a vague threat to the galaxy," the admiral began. Kaidan nodded at this, signifying his understanding, "so I will get straight to the point. I need your two best black ops people from biotics division for a mission of vital importance."

With barely a blink, Kaidan responded, "Am I allowed to know the details, sir?"

Anderson shook his head. "Sorry, major. Need to know basis only. Your students will be fully briefed, never fear on that account. But beyond that, well, ... you know how it is."

Kaidan sighed. "I understand that, sir. But you're asking me to assign my 'two best' students for a 'vitally important' mission," he countered. "Unless I know what the parameters are, how am I to identify which two students are the best to send?"

Anderson continued to shake his head. "Major, I'm sorry but -"

Her voice, strong and firm from across the room, cut him off before he could complete his refusal. "Tell him."

Both men turned as she spoke, pushing herself away from the window. A moment later, she turned towards them and began crossing the room.

"You know I can't do that," Anderson reminded her.

The look she gave him clearly indicated what she thought of that statement. "You can and you will. I have full authority on this mission. I know Admiral Hackett told you that." Nodding towards Alenko, she continued, "Tell him, David. I need to know I'm getting the best people for the job." Only then did she turn to fully face Kaidan … and allow him to see her clearly.

In less than a blink of an eye, Kaidan felt his chest tighten at the sight of the woman standing before him. At first, he thought he'd been hearing things, that the vague resemblance he'd seen had been a simple trick of the light and shadows from that side of the room. The lighting was dim over there, she was dressed in civilian clothing rather than a military uniform, and there were many out there who had that same dark auburn hair, but ….

"Troya -"

Her face fell slightly and she shook her head. "No," she murmured, stepping closer. "Moya. Do you not remember me, major?"

Kaidan blinked. _Moya_? Hand rising to rub at the back of his neck, he nodded absently as the memories began to return. How long had it been? he wondered. Almost three years? "I - I do remember …."

* * *

**_Docking Bay 422 and environs, Citadel, 2183_**

_The Normandy was docked, provisioning and maintenance were taking place right on schedule, and Shepard, realizing that the chase for Saren was beginning affect them all, had made an executive decision. Pulling the others together in the conference room, she'd explained her plan, promising an evening of laid back fun and entertainment at her mother's apartment on the Citadel and a chance for everyone to relax before the last push. Virmire loomed on the horizon, and if the unintelligible communication from the STG team on site was any indication to go by, it was going to be a rough ride._

_It only took a little bit of manipulation, and maybe just a touch of emotional blackmail, but in the end Shepard finally got them all to agree. Within the hour they were exiting the ship as a group, Lieutenant Commander Troya Shepard leading the way and seeming quite pleased with herself. She was their commander, yes, but she also cared about them, and after the stresses and horrors of Feros and Noveria and even some of the other smaller missions (Dr. Saleon came to mind almost immediately), she had noticed the toll it was beginning to take on the rest of her team. The break would do them good and bring them back focused and refreshed. _

_It was as they were exiting the ship, though, and were heading out onto the docking platform that they began to wonder if perhaps it was Shepard who had been hit hardest by the missions and was needing some downtime. Barely had they stepped free from the ship when they heard their commander whoop suddenly and very loudly before launching off ahead of them, laughing like a wild woman. _

_A moment later, the reason became clear. _

_Sort of._

_After the initial shock of seeing their stoic commander lose control in such a way had passed, the commander turned back to face them, arm in arm with a civilian (judging by her clothing) who appeared to be in all other ways identical. "I want you guys to meet my twin sister, Dr. Moya Shepard," she announced._

_Moya nodded at the others, the lightest pinking of her cheeks showing as she smiled. When she spoke, it was with a voice that matched as well. "I'm glad to finally meet you. I've had some … interesting messages from Troy of late. Consider me intrigued."_

_Ashley glanced over at Kaidan first who shrugged, then Liara but the asari was standing there, eyes wide, clearly shocked at the evidence standing before her. A soft squeaking noise had Garrus glancing down at the quarian beside him, but he had to admit, even he felt a bit … what was the human expression? Off kilter? And Wrex … Wrex just began chuckling, that deep, heavy rumbling that in its own way was familiar and reassuring. "So there's more than one of you, huh Shepard?"_

_Troya grinned as she shared a knowing look with her twin. "What's the matter, Wrex? Don't believe your own eyes?" Looping her arm through Moya's and pulling her along, she began leading the group away from the ship's berth while asking Moya, "But Wrex raises a good point. What brings you to the Citadel? I thought you were off doing scientificky stuff?"_

_Moya chuckled. "I was recalled after what happened on Eden Prime. Alliance brass requested I assist with some of the follow up investigations …."_

_Troya halted in her tracks, turning sharply to face her sister head on while the others congregated around them. If nothing else, it certainly kept passersby from interfering. "What part of the follow up, exactly?" Troya asked, her tone suddenly all business._

_But Moya could be just as stubborn as her sister. Folding her arms across her chest, she shook her head. Where Troya had her hair pulled up in a tight twist at the back of her head, Moya had hers in a loose, semi-free tail, the lengths of which bounced freely around her shoulders. "I can't talk about it," she reminded Troya calmly though her tone was just as serious. "You know that."_

_Troya's eyes narrowed. "It could help us out there, Moya," she insisted, urgency rising in her voice. "Any advantage we could get …."_

_Moya shook her head. "Troy, please trust me when I tell you I can't talk about it. You KNOW how it works! Besides, there isn't much we've been able to discern yet anyway. So far, we've many more questions than answers. This is going to take us months, maybe years, to sort out."_

_The elevator arrived then, and the entire group somehow managed to squeeze inside together. When they arrived at the skycab lot, though, they finally broke down into smaller groups for travelling purposes, but within a short while they all arrived at their destination. Along the way, Troya had made plans to get their leave started, and before they'd even settled into the apartment, the majority of her companions were right back on their way out to collect food, drink and other necessities for a relaxing evening. _

_Troya had insisted that Liara and Kaidan remain, though, and it was only when they were alone that she pulled them all together and begin explaining to her sister about Feros and Noveria. About husks and how they appeared to be made. About mind controlling plant-like things and Rachni and an indoctrinated Matriarch …._

_"Indoctrinated?" Moya echoed softly, eyes widening a bit. She listened closer still as the talk turned more detailed. She asked questions, of course, as was her nature, and she received some answers, if somewhat vague. Both Troya and Kaidan were able to repeat Benezia's and Shiala's words as to how the indoctrination worked. Liara was able to explain the differences she'd noticed in the mother she'd known her entire life versus the woman who had fought against them, her will controlled by another, unknown entity. _

_By the end of the discussion, cut short as the others began returning from their errands, Moya promised, "I will go through our information to see if there is anything to support your claims. Though, from what you've said, it seems clear that there is some other force at work here …."_

* * *

"You're the scientist."

Moya stepped closer and nodded at the major's assessment. "I am," she agreed. "Troya followed our father's footsteps to become a frontline soldier. I decided to remain a civilian." She added a small, wry smile in Anderson's direction. "Though, I appear to be more of an asset for the Systems Alliance these days than I'd originally intended."

Anderson chuckled. "Being a specialist in your field would do that," he replied while gesturing her towards another chair. "All right then, doctor. If you're so insistent that the major know everything, then I suppose you ought to be the one doing the explaining."

Moya nodded solemnly as she took a seat. The two men followed suit. "Quite simply, the situation is this: I need to get to a certain location so that I can retrieve a certain object that has the potential to cause serious harm and/or potentially lead the Reapers to attack our galaxy sooner rather than later."

Kaidan blinked in surprise before glancing over at Anderson who nodded. "I don't know that I would have believed it myself," Anderson explained, "if Admiral Hackett hadn't briefed me personally. Obviously, there's much more to it than that. Hell, even I don't know all of it. What I do know is that there is a lot of risk involved. But, the fact remains that it is a job that _has_ to be done." He held Kaidan's gaze. "And done now, before it's too late."

Taking a moment to stare down at his hands, Kaidan frowned in thought. Though little enough had been said, he was able to make some rather educated guesses as to the real topic at the root of it all. And if those were true …. "This sounds more like a mission suited to the spectres," he commented with a quick glance over at Moya. "Why is the Alliance taking the lead on it?" After a second's hesitation, he added, "Or are they?" Even he could make a mistake in evaluating information both given and not. Especially when most of it was based on pure speculation.

Anderson nodded. "We are," he replied. "The simple fact of the matter is, major, that the origins and nature of the mission, details that we cannot get into at this point, involve the Alliance exclusively. We'd like to keep it that way and finish the mission."

Kaidan frowned. Something about the sound of that was making his skin crawl. "Is this a cover up?" he asked sharply.

Anderson shook his head. "No, not in so many words," he continued. "It's a mission whose origins began with the Alliance and, if at all possible, the Alliance would like to bring resolution to it without getting the Council involved. Certain aspects of it are classified and Alliance brass doesn't want to have to share its secrets if it doesn't have to."

Moya sighed. The doublespeak was giving her a headache, but it couldn't be helped. For now, anyway. "Plus there's fact that even if we _did_ take it to the Council, what likely chance do you think we would have of them giving it any due consideration, major? You've seen first hand what they've done in the past, how they've treated my sister and her warnings."

Kaidan's brows narrowed at the bitterness he heard in her tone as he looked over at Anderson again. _Her warnings. Has to be connected to the Reapers. _"Still?" he asked, confused. "Didn't they accept Shepard's story and information about the Collectors after she defeated them?" Granted, it had taken him a while after the events of Horizon to reach the same level of concern regarding the Collectors that Shepard had, but his reasons for that had been his own and not tied in with the actual Collector threat itself. The sad fact of the matter was, where the Council was concerned, they had a history of wanting proof before belief.

Anderson shook his head. "Same boat as after Ilos," he explained. "And with the Collector threat dealt with behind the Omega-4 Relay, and no further signs of the Reapers, well …."

Kaidan sighed. He and Troya might have outstanding issues between them, mostly on a personal rather than a professional level, but if there was one thing he could and would safely say it was that he believed her when it came to the Reaper threat. Solidly. He'd been there with her on Virmire when she'd spoken to Sovereign. Right beside her on Ilos to hear Vigil's warnings. Hell, he'd nearly been killed by remnants of Sovereign that had fallen into the Council chambers during the attack. Not two years later, well before he'd been sent to Horizon, he'd begun hearing of entire human colonies that were vanishing. It was only after his own personal experiences during the attack on Horizon that the connection of those disappearances to the Collectors (though rumors were running rampant by then) and, by association, the Reapers, were finally made. By that point, even he could clearly see that both the Collectors and the Reapers were a threat. It was now obvious to him that Anderson, even after Troya's destruction of the Collectors, still believed the threat was real. And if what the admiral and the doctor were now telling Kaidan was true, Admiral Hackett believed it too.

But no one ever said the Council had to play by the same rules. For that matter, from what scuttlebutt he'd heard since Shepard's return to the Alliance, the Defense Committee didn't seem to be taking things very seriously either. Though, whether that was more to do with political pressure from the batarians or the Council or both, Kaidan didn't know. Or maybe they were purposely dragging things out so that it would look like they were placating those groups. Who knew? Politics was something he tried to steer a wide berth of. All Kaidan knew he was certain of was that the Reaper threat was a very real one, and one that required something more to be done … and soon.

Sighing, he lifted a hand, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose to ward off a headache. It was a couple of long moments as he gathered his thoughts before he spoke again. "So then, what you're saying is … you need someone with black ops capabilities." He lowered his hand and glanced over as Anderson and Moya nodded. It was logical to conclude that the ability to get in and out, to complete the mission without detection and in a timely manner would be one of the topmost priorities.

"One with biotic capabilities." Again, Anderson and Moya nodded. That too made sense. The use of biotics in addition to conventional weapons gave a team double the edge should a combat situation arise.

"And experience fighting against Reaper or Reaper-like forces."

"Obviously, that won't be possible," Anderson began. "I realize your students are only a few months into the program, major, but -"

Kaidan waved off Anderson's comments as he glanced over solely at Moya who met and matched the look. Their eyes held for a long moment, Kaidan's searching hers, looking for … _some_thing. He and Troya had been close. More than close. But after her death, and later the events of Horizon, everything between them had fallen apart. He knew the blame for a large part of that was on him, for the way he'd reacted to seeing her for the first time since her 'return.' He'd tried to offer an olive branch afterwards and she'd accepted it, more or less. However, her current incarceration by the Alliance after the events surrounding the Alpha Relay mission had kept any chance of contact between them closed down. No messages or communications of any kind had been allowed between them, and Kaidan now had no idea where they stood with one another now … or if they even did anymore. But all of that was personal. Professional support was something he could give without reservation. And if that meant he had to ally himself with Troya's twin in order to get the Council, the Defense Committee, hell, the galaxy as a whole to listen, well ….

Breaking contact with Moya, Kaidan shifted his gaze back to the admiral. "I'll go," he replied quietly.

Moya's gasp echoed throughout the office. This was an unexpected development. "You … what?" She darted a nervous look over towards Anderson. "But … but he can't!" she protested.

Anderson ignored her, electing to eye Kaidan closely for a long and considering moment. "Convince me," he replied.

Kaidan shrugged. "I meet all the requirements," he explained, "including the experience. Plus, my tech abilities should get us past most potential roadblocks along those lines that we might run into. Also, if I go you only need one person to go along." The logic was sound. "The fewer people who know the better, right?"

Anderson rose to his feet and turned away from them, clearly weighing the younger man's words.

Moya was not to be put off. "David, you can't allow this!" she insisted. She ignored the hard look the major was now giving her.

"He is right, you know," Anderson responded mildly. "Who knows what sort of technical skills you might need -"

She cursed softly and jumped to her feet. "I have _some_ tech abilities, you know," she reminded him. "I may not be at my sister's level, but my father did teach us both!"

"Can you handle a weapon?" Kaidan asked.

Moya sniffed. "My father taught us both." Turning to face him, she added, "Look, major, this isn't anything personal against you. Really, it isn't. I just think it would be better if your two best students accompanied me -"

Anderson turned back around. "How long do you think it will take?" he asked Moya.

Moya blinked at the sudden change in topic. "I … I'm sorry?"

"The mission," he clarified. "How long are you expecting it to take you to complete it?"

In a move of sheer frustration, Moya tossed her hands in the air, allowing them to slap against her legs as they fell down to her sides. "A month? Two maybe?" she guessed. "It's hard to say. I mean, my source is a pretty good one, but information is only as good as the person providing it, and you never know if you'll be led all over the place before you reach your ultimate goal …."

Anderson nodded. Glancing back over at Kaidan, he asked, "Can your students continue on with the other instructors during your absence?"

Kaidan nodded immediately. "They can, sir," he replied.

Another nod. "Good. Then I will see the orders are issued." Turning back towards Moya, he added, "I'd much rather you go in with someone who has full training and knowledge of how to meet the threats you will encounter. Major Alenko is one of our best trained military biotics."

Moya folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "Yes, I understand that, but, will he follow orders?" she demanded. "The whole point of taking students is that they would be more willing to follow _my_ directions on this." She glanced over at Kaidan again. "I'm sorry, major, but the plain fact is that there are still things - _important _things - that you don't know about this mission. Information that will not come out until absolutely necessary. Information that I have and I alone can use to make decisions on how to react appropriately to certain sets of criteria. If that is going to be a problem for you -"

"It won't."

Moya pursed her lips as she considered, though she knew it was a lost cause. If Anderson was already sold on the idea, there was no way in hell she'd be able to convince him otherwise. But that didn't mean she couldn't try. "It won't bother you that a civilian is giving you orders about something you don't understand?" she challenged. "That you will have to respond to those orders whether you understand them, or my reasoning, or not? That they could mean the difference between life and death - for you or others? Even," she added, "if we end up under battlefield conditions?"

His look hardened, but he did not flinch. "It won't be a problem," he insisted.

After another moment or two of consideration, Moya turned to face Anderson. She still wasn't certain if she believed him on that point or not, but it was clear he wasn't going to back down from this. She had to do what was best for the mission. And despite any personal awkwardness she might feel about having the major along on this mission, it seemed that she was going to have to back off of this point if she wanted to continue forward. With a heavy sigh of resignation, she finally nodded. "This will be … acceptable." It would have to be. The mission _had_ to come first.

"Good." Anderson nodded his approval. "Now, let's go through the rest of the details. Since it will just be the two of you going, you'll be able to leave this evening."


	2. Chapter 2

**_SSV Orizaba_**

Moya hefted her bag over her shoulder, strap settling and weighing down as she and her companion approached the docking bay side by side. It had been a while since she'd last seen her mother face to face, her work schedule being what it was, and certainly it had the potential to be a very awkward reunion considering she had her sister's boyfriend (or whatever they were calling themselves these days) in tow.

That thought had Moya cringing inwardly. That fact alone had been the main reason she'd resisted the idea of Major Alenko coming along on this mission: the awkwardness. And, it wasn't as if Anderson didn't know about it, either. Not that she'd stated it in so many words to him or anything, but he (and Admiral Hackett for that matter) was well aware of Troya's relationship with Kaidan. On a mission of such vital importance, Moya didn't need any distractions that might sidetrack either him or her in any way. Too much was at stake.

She sighed. _And Kaidan Alenko is definitely a distraction_, she reminded herself as she gave him a quick side-eyed glance. Apparently, he'd been expecting it, because she saw his lips tilt in a small smirk. _A distraction on many levels_, she amended silently_._ _Wonderful._ Frowning, she asked, "What?"

The smirk widened into a knowing smile. "That's about the tenth time since we left Anderson's office that you've done that," he explained.

Her frown deepened as she turned to face him better. "Done what?" she challenged.

The corner of his lips - the side with that distracting little scar - twitched, and the sight of it made her insides do a funny little dance. _Oh boy, not good …._ "You are about as subtle as your sister at times," he observed. "Which is to say …."

Moya sighed again, eyes rolling as she turned away. Now there was a mood killer, right? "Not at all. Right. I get it," she muttered, eyes glancing over towards the ship. Shifting the bag against her shoulder again, Moya straightened. _The sooner we board, the sooner the mission is underway and the sooner we'll be done and things will get back to normal_, she reasoned. _Which means the sooner the distractions will return to a minimum._ "Right then," she stated, taking a deep breath and adjusting her bag again. "Shall we?"

They boarded through the airlock, identifying themselves to the guards on duty. After a few minutes of waiting, they were granted access. The decontamination process was brief, and within ten minutes they were entering the command deck to meet with the captain. Stepping forward, Moya smiled softly. "Captain Shepard," she murmured, nodding slightly.

"Dr. Shepard," Captain Hannah Shepard returned, her voice clear and strong with command. A moment later, though, she laughed and closed the distance between them to give her daughter a warm but brief and completely unprofessional hug. "Welcome aboard, Moya," she finished, pleasure obvious in her tone. "It's good to see you again."

"Thanks, Mum." Moya turned and gestured the major forward. "Mum, this is Major Kaidan Alenko. We're -"

Hannah clucked softly to silence her daughter. "I know my orders," she chided softly. Turning towards Kaidan, she continued, "Major. I'd been hoping we might meet someday. Welcome aboard the _Orizaba_."

"Thank you, ma'am," he replied with a salute and then a handshake. "It's a pleasure."

Hannah couldn't hold back a knowing smile. "I think I can see why Troya likes you, major," she murmured. "You certainly are a charmer."

Moya rolled her eyes and scolded, "Mother!"

Chuckling, Hannah waved over one of her crew. "Lieutenant Davis, please show the doctor and the major to their quarters," she instructed. Turning back to them, she added, "Once we are out of port and underway, meet me in my office and we can go over the details of your mission. But until then, I have other duties to attend."

Moya nodded. "We'll find you later," she promised before turning to follow the lieutenant. Kaidan followed close behind.

* * *

Moya settled into her quarters quickly before leaving to go in search of her mother. She'd hoped to have a few minutes alone with Hannah for talking, catching up, that sort of thing. It had been a long while since they'd had occasion to spend any quality time together, and she wanted to make the most of it.

Following the directions the lieutenant had given her, Moya found her way to her mother's office. Her timing was impeccable. She arrived just as her mother was approaching, cup of steaming hot coffee in hand, an all too familiar and comforting sight. Some things, it seemed, never changed.

"Good to see you are punctual as ever," Hannah commented with a grin while opening the door and gesturing her daughter inside.

Moya chuckled. "You and dad taught us well," she replied affectionately.

Hannah's smile widened. "Indeed." Setting the coffee aside on her desk, she turned to face Moya. "So then … care to tell me what is really going on? Why Steven and David can't tell me any of the details? And why my _civilian_ daughter is all caught up in the middle of it?"

Moya folded her arms across her chest and responded, "Mum, you know there are some things I can't tell you."

Hannah snorted softly. "What I _know_ is that you are as bad as your sister, going off and getting into scrapes without telling me what's going on," she countered. Eyes narrowing, she reminded Moya, "You realize Troya was back for _weeks_ before I had to hear third hand that she was alive? No call, no message, just suddenly BAM! I'm at Arcturus and overhear some captain mentioning it to someone else, the whole, _Did you hear that Commander Shepard is alive?_ kind of thing. Do you know what that _did_ to me?"

Moya felt a tightness in her chest at the thought. "Mum …."

Sighing, Hannah waved her hand at her daughter, head shaking back and forth. "No, I don't imagine you do," she continued.

Moya frowned. "That's hardly fair, Mum. She isn't just my sister," the younger woman murmured quietly, "she is my _twin_. Losing her was like … losing half of myself, of my own identity."

For a long moment, the two women stood staring at one another, pain, anguish and hurt shifting and sorting around them, neither certain of what step they should take next. In the end, it was Hannah who finally pulled a small if somewhat sad smile. "Well, I don't fancy having to go through that again," Hannah finally relented, hand rising to brush a few of her daughter's curls back from her face. "Not with you, too, just so you know."

Moya smiled and stepped close enough to hug her mother. "I don't plan for that to happen," she assured her softly. Both women realized that this was probably as close to a promise Moya would make.

Reaching for her coffee again, Hannah moved around her desk and took a seat before requesting, "Right then, so if you can't tell me all of what's going on, tell me what you can."

Agreement to that was easy enough, which she did with a nod, but before Moya could begin, there was a knock at the door. When Hannah called clearance to enter, Moya glanced over to see Kaidan stepping inside the room. Moya met his eyes, nodding her appreciation at his timing. With him here, she would only have to go through this once. _All the better._

The briefing didn't take all that long given the limitations on what she could tell. Hannah and her ship were to deliver the pair to Illium, to Nos Astra specifically, before Moya would lead them out to one of the poorer districts in order to find a salarian doctor who worked in a clinic there. In actuality, the _Orizaba_ had permission to remain in Illium space, though a shuttle would be delivering the two to the port. And though strings had been pulled so that the Alliance vessel had permission and cover story to keep their presence from being too out of the ordinary in the heart of the Terminus Systems, Admiral Hackett had changed the orders such in the hopes that by removing the ship from its proximity to the planet itself it would make it even less suspicious.

Pulling up information on her omni-tool, Hannah finally commented, "We should arrive in a little under three days. Until that time, the ship is yours." She gave them both a look. "I do hope you'll have dinner with me later however?"

Moya rose and chuckled. "Why? So you can regale Major Alenko with stories from Troya's past?" she asked cheekily. "I've no doubt he'll find them frighteningly boring."

Hannah grinned. "Oh, I plan to include you in a few of them too," she replied easily. "Just to spice things up a bit."

"Of course you do," Moya murmured dryly, darting a glare over at Kaidan when he started chuckling.

Saying goodbye to her mother, Moya turned to leave the office and head back to her quarters. Kaidan wasn't far behind, catching up to her before she'd gotten far. "You seem pretty familiar with the layout of the ship," he commented casually as they walked along.

Moya shrugged. "My sister and I grew up on ships," she told him. "After a while, finding our way just sort of became second nature."

"Ah."

Conversation was interrupted briefly as he stepped to one side and Moya to the other to allow several crew members past, but once they'd moved on, the two began walking side by side again. When they reached Moya's room, Kaidan spoke up. "Do you have a few minutes?" he asked.

Moya, half inside through the open door, stepped to the side so he could enter as well. "Yes," she told him, thankful of his request. "We need to talk anyway."

As the door closed behind her, Moya glanced over at him and saw the surprise in his eyes. "What?" she countered. "I thought you might want more details about the mission. Or, at least those I can give you right now."

Kaidan blinked. "I - yeah, thanks," he finally managed. "Actually, I was going to ask you something related to that."

The cabin was small; a bed, a desk and a small area for keeping her bag and any other gear she might have (but hadn't) brought with her. Taking a seat on the bed, she gestured Kaidan towards the desk chair. "Well, why don't you begin then?" she offered. "We can move forward from there, I guess."

He took a seat. "I have a concern," he admitted as he settled into the chair. Moya said nothing and waited for him to continue. "How accurate is your information source? Can you trust it?" he finally continued. "Illium will take us into the heart of the Terminus Systems. On this ship - well, we won't necessarily become targets, but we will be watched. Closely."

Moya pulled her legs up onto the bed, folding them casually and comfortably beneath her. "Let me give you a bit of background, major, and maybe that will set your mind at ease." She took a deep breath and began. "When you and I first met, I was working on the team assigned to investigate what we could about the events of Eden Prime." She saw him nod. "After speaking with you, Dr. T'Soni and my sister, plus some of the additional information that my sister was able to send to my attention after Virmire and Ilos, I was able to lead that investigation down a particular path."

He frowned. "Which was?"

Moya met and held his gaze. "The study of indoctrination. This caught the interest of some of my colleagues, and we started collaborating, looking for further proof, documentable facts, on how it worked and, hopefully, a way to counteract it. Sadly, at the time most of our information was pure speculation. We had no _proof_ of our claims, just guesswork based off of the information your _Normandy_ team provided us."

Kaidan winced. "Do I even want to know what you mean by 'proof?'" he asked.

Moya's smile was tight. "Likely, not," she replied. "However, after your defeat of Sovereign, one or two of the scientists involved were able to get their hands on pieces and parts of the dead Reaper and over the next couple of years, worked to find out the Reapers' secrets to indoctrination."

He leaned forward, arms braced against his legs. "And were they able to?" he asked.

Moya shrugged. "Hard to say. The whole concept itself was still very foreign. Of the scientists involved, I knew most on more personal levels. Incredibly intelligent in their own fields, thorough and yet cautious around technologies they knew nothing about, it took them well over a year before they were able to even begin deciphering exactly what it was they had on their hands, let alone start working with it and attempting any valuable or productive experimentation. By that point, I'd been transferred to assist Dr. Amanda Kenson and her team out in the field." She saw his eyes flare at the name and hesitated.

"That name," he murmured. "I've heard that name …."

Moya sighed, but she nodded and continued. "Hmmm. I've no doubt you probably have. At any rate, officially, she led us into batarian space to hunt down rumors of a Reaper artifact there. A piece other than Sovereign. It took some time, but in the end, we finally found it." Her eyes closed, memories drifting back to a time before ….

Kaidan's voice broke through her thoughts. "I get the impression there's a very large, 'but,' at the end of that sentence."

Sighing heavily, Moya nodded. "You could say that," she admitted. Hand rising to press at the bridge of her nose, she explained, "We took the artifacts - there were two of them - and we set up a base on the asteroid where we found them so we could examine them more closely. That in itself was a bit of a challenge, though, as due to the length of our hunt, our funds were severely lacking." She noted his look of confusion and added, "Seeing as we weren't there on an openly Alliance sponsored mission, we had to find ways of funding our research ourselves, outside of our normal sources. And trust me, we needed that additional funding."

Rising to her feet, Moya crossed the room and reached into her bag, retrieving a datapad. Activating it, she found the information she was searching for and handed the pad over to the major. "That was what we found," she told him. Pointing to the larger of the two objects, she continued, "That one was Object Rho, and this one," she moved to point at the smaller one, "is Object Tau. Object Rho was immediately identified as Reaper tech of some sort. I think it's what Dr. Kenson was hoping, maybe even expecting to find." Glancing over at him, she gave him a knowing look. "And, within, a few hours of finding it, I began to notice that sort of whispering sound you and the others warned me about after Virmire." Retrieving the datapad from his hands, she replaced it in her bag.

"Damn," he muttered. "Hell of a way to find your proof of indoctrination."

Moya nodded, moving to lean her hip against the side of the desk beside him. "Exactly. Thing was, though I knew almost from the beginning what it was, it still took me a little while before I could force myself to break away from it."

Kaidan's eyes narrowed on her. "But you did."

Her reaction was immediate. "I did. I also confronted Dr. Kenson about it." Sighing, she shook her head. "She didn't believe me. Instead, she began going on and on about how Object Rho was telling her that the Reapers were going to arrive and soon and that they were going to use the mass relay system to travel around the galaxy …."

Rising, Kaidan began to pace the small room. "You know, Vigil told us something like that," he said after several minutes of silence. "He said that the mass relays were how the Reapers had been able to defeat the Protheans and countless other races in previous cycles." Facing her, he asked, "What did you do? I mean, you obviously found a way to get out of there and away from it."

Moya nodded. "To be honest? I got lucky. I think if I hadn't realized what was happening so quickly, it would have been all too easy to succumb to it." She shuddered then, her shoulders visibly shaking at the thought. "Anyway, once I realized what was happening, once Dr. Kenson refused to listen, I started planning. I gathered together what information I had, grabbed any additional notes I could get access to, and I just ... left. I departed with some scientists who were headed to Omega to collect some pieces and parts for the base." When he lifted his brow in question, she nodded. "It was standard procedure, and something I'd done once before with one of the first groups. Once there, though, I parted ways with them and found a circuitous route back home. Well, at least to the Citadel," she clarified. "I debated for several days what I should do with the information, eventually deciding to approach Admiral Hackett." She smiled. "He's an old family friend," she explained. "He and dad worked together years ago."

Kaidan nodded. Troya had told him as much back on the SR1. "He's a good choice."

"Yes. Anyway, turns out that he and Dr. Kenson were good friends, so the information did not fall on deaf ears." Her smile faded. "It also turns out, my timing was almost too good."

Brow dipping in concern now, he asked, "How do you mean?"

Moya bit her lower lip, eyes filled with concern as she met his gaze. "After speaking with me, within days actually, Admiral Hackett sent my sister in to see what she could find out. You see, the admiral had also been given information from another source indicating that Dr. Kenson had been captured by the batarians and was being accused of smuggling starship parts from Omega's shipyards into the batarian system. Hackett asked my sister to go in and rescue Dr. Kenson - which she did - and afterwards … well …."

As Moya's voice trailed off, Kaidan groaned, realizing that it was _that_ incident that had led to Troya's current state of house arrest. "I see." He turned away for a moment, thoughts drifting to what could have been had Troya not gone off on this personal request of Hackett's. But then, she wouldn't have been the same woman he had come to know and love had she not done this favor for the admiral, would she? Wasn't that yet more proof that she was the real Troya Shepard and not some Cerberus clone or VI or AI even? "You couldn't have known," he told her rather absently, his thoughts still on Troya. "It wasn't your fault."

Moya could see that her words had led Kaidan back towards troublesome memories, and for that she felt guilty. Searching for something - _any_thing - to talk about that might put them back on level footing (because this certainly hadn't been her intent), she told him, "Thing is … when she destroyed the asteroid and with it, Object Rho, she didn't get it all." Moya waited for her words to reach him. To sink in. She knew he was perceptive. She'd seen evidence enough of that with his quick evaluation in Anderson's office based on very little information.

Turning towards her, he asked, "Wait - what do you mean, 'didn't get it all?'"

Good. He'd gotten it, just as she'd hoped. _And_ she'd captured his attention with it. Even better. "There were two objects located, as I mentioned earlier. Object Rho, the larger one, was destroyed with the asteroid. But after speaking with my sister, we found out that the smaller one, Object Tau, hadn't even been there at the time."

Confused again, Kaidan lifted a hand, extending it in a gesture for her to give him a minute. "Are you saying you have spoken with your sister? Since her incarceration?"

Moya nodded slowly, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. Ooops.

"When?"

She swallowed tightly. "Just a few weeks ago. After the mission, Admiral Hackett went out to debrief her aboard the _Normandy_. When he returned, I spoke with him again, going over everything that happened during the mission. We _had_ to make sure it had all been destroyed, you see."

Straightening, Moya crossed over to her bunk and sat again. Her hands in her lap, she wrung them together, fingers lacing and unlacing, bending, twisting, all as she tried to organize her thoughts. "There were three things about Object Rho that made it unique," she explained. "When we found it in the asteroid, it was protected by some sort of energy stasis barrier, similar to a biotic stasis field, only much, much stronger. That in itself was incredibly unique, and for a while it stumped us. Once we figured how to deactivate it, though, we were able to recover it and begin to study it in more detail."

She shifted, pulling her hands up so she could tick off a second finger as she continued. "Inside of it, we found a quantum stasis field that rivals almost everything we know - including how the Protheans created the mass relays. Later, we determined that the object had the ability to activate itself in response to threats. So, in a manner of speaking, it could defend itself."

Moya kept her eyes on him as she ticked the third finger while watching him seat himself again. "The third thing … well, it was lost at first, I guess you could say. At least, I didn't notice it at first. I was more focused on the indoctrination effects of Object Rho at the time. But in the notes I copied from Dr. Kenson, I found they'd discovered that the object was broadcasting signals and information on a multitude of levels. One of them," her eyes met his and held, "is very similar to our quantum entanglement communicators and could reach all the way into dark space."

The major's eyes widened. "Into Reaper territory? You're saying it could contact the Reapers?"

Moya nodded. "Yes. I think after finding it, after we unknowingly activated these different … spectra, that was what alerted the Reapers to the fact that it was time to try again."

He ran his hands over his face. "Oh God, it triggered an alarm of some kind …." He took a deep breath. "Okay then, so what you're saying is that what your sister did to the Alpha Relay -"

"What I am saying is that, had she not done exactly what she did, the Reapers would be here now," Moya told him solemnly. "Troya believes it. I believe it. Hackett believes it."

He nodded. Yeah, he believed it too. "Okay … But that was just this Object Rho, right?" She nodded. "What about the other one? The one you said wasn't there when Troya blew things up. Did it have similar effects?"

Moya couldn't help the grin that tilted at her lips. "Nothing gets past you, does it?" she asked. She saw his cheeks redden just a bit and continued on. "Yes. Object Tau, though, isn't exactly the same. For starters, it's much smaller than Rho was." She held her hands out, adjusting them to something akin the size of a marine soldier's helmet. "Maybe about that big. Also, visually it looks like more like it's Prothean in design."

Kaidan frowned. "And you're certain it wasn't lost in the destruction -"

"I'm positive," Moya replied firmly. "After speaking with Admiral Hackett and my sister, I realized it wasn't destroyed for the simple reason that it wasn't there to _be_ destroyed."

"Where was it?"

"That is a very good question." Moya shrugged her shoulders. "Bear with me just a moment longer, major, and this might make more sense."

He nodded, though he did add, "Don't you think you could call me Kaidan? You _are_ a civilian, after all. And considering that your sister and I have known each other for several years now …."

Moya chuckled softly. "Of course, … Kaidan. Anyway, remember how I told you Dr. Kenson's team was needing extra money? Our funding only took us so far and though we were able to make good use of it, we … or rather, Dr. Kenson and her people, needed to purchase parts in order to create the base there as well as to rig up the asteroid in order to move it. They found deals on the equipment they wanted, but they needed money. So …."

Kaidan's eyes widened at the implication. "You're suggesting … they sold it?"

Moya nodded. "It wouldn't have been the first time something like this has happened, sadly. And Object Tau had several qualities going for it to make it a valuable item worth having in, say, a private collection." Again she ticked them off on her fingers. "It was Prothean in design and as such, that alone would make it very valuable. The black market for Prothean items is unbelievable, especially since Saren and the geth attack on the Citadel. If you don't believe me, ask Dr. T'Soni. Just think of the personal prestige someone might gain simply by being able to say that they had a piece of valuable Prothean technology in their collection. And finally, how better to prove, whenever you felt the time was right, that the Reapers aren't actually a myth, but real? A way to prove that you knew better than the Alliance? The Council?" Her eyes narrowed on his. "Tell me you can't think of _at least_ a dozen people out there - mercenaries, arms dealers, private investors and the like - who wouldn't _kill_ for the chance to have something like that in their hands." Her eyes remained on him, darkening with intensity as she concluded, "And when I say 'kill,' I mean that quite literally."

His gasp echoed softly around them and throughout the small room. "My God …." It was an incredibly sobering thought. "And this Object Tau?" he asked. "It has similar characteristics to the other? To Rho?"

Moya lifted her shoulders again. "I didn't get much information on it before I left," she replied. "I think it is safe to say that the potential is there for that, yes. But it looked ... different. Size wise. Design wise. It seemed to work differently too. Compared to Rho, Tau looked almost … normal …." She frowned. "I'm sorry, maj - Kaidan. It's hard to describe."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, "I think I understand enough to know that it would be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Personally," she added, voice trailing off into thought, "I think it's some sort of smaller communications device." Another shoulder shrug. "It appeared to have similar abilities to contact the Reapers or, maybe it worked in the reverse and the Reapers could use it to locate whoever had it?" She frowned. "Wait … some sort of tracking device, perhaps? One that … that could also indoctrinate the people who used it …."

Kaidan's eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Hold that thought," he told her, rising to his feet and crossing the room to sit beside her on the bed. "Are you thinking along the lines of a way to manipulate … agents for the Reapers, maybe? Guide them and follow them at the same time?"

Moya blinked, amazed that he'd caught on to her half-reasoned thoughts. "Something like that?" she hedged. "Maybe? I mean, indoctrination clearly is a means of forcing people to bend to your will, right? It would only be logical to assume that, among other ways, one of the methods to 'turn' large groups and populations of people would be to send in others who could do that for you …."

Kaidan nodded. "Vigil said as much," he agreed. "He told us that during the Protheans' cycle, there were sleeper agents, that when they were taken in by the Protheans, these devices were brought in with them and that was a large part of the Reaper's success in defeating them."

"So it would only be logical then for the device to look 'normal.' Something that would fit in with the culture that it was designed to indoctrinate, make it … more difficult to see its intended purpose …."

Their eyes met, holding for a long moment. "We need to find this Object Tau," Kaidan told her quietly.

Moya couldn't help but laugh softly. "Well, that _is_ the purpose of this mission, major." She saw him lift an eyebrow in challenge and realized almost immediately what she'd said. "Kaidan. Sorry."

The stern set to his features that had taken over during their discussion now softened just a bit. Moya felt that strange dancing sensation in her stomach again. _Distraction alert!_

"Not a problem … yet."

Moya blinked when she saw a teasing glint in his eyes. But before she could comment on it, he continued. "So tell me about your source. Why Illium?"

"What …? Oh, that! Well, after I spoke with Admiral Hackett about this, he sent me off to visit with an old friend of yours. Dr. T'Soni. We spoke for a while about this and other things and ultimately, she was the one who gave me the lead to Illium. I guess she lived there for a while and worked as an information broker after … well, after?"

Kaidan nodded. "So I'd heard," he agreed. He'd also heard some other rumors regarding his asari friend, none of which he was about to get into at this point, even if he had further information or proof.

"Anyway, one of her sources, shortly before she left, had given her a lead that basically suggested that the sale of Object Tau had occurred on Illium and that a salarian doctor in one of the poorer districts had witnessed it. She gave me the name and place, a photograph of the people involved, and suggested that I go and investigate it. So, here I am."

"Does your sister know your plan?" he asked next.

Moya eyed him carefully, attempting to hide the stiffening of her frame as she sat beside him. He noticed, though. "I see."

"She knows," Moya insisted. "Admiral Hackett and I both spoke with her - about Object Tau, about what had happened on the asteroid, about … well, everything."

"And how did she take the news that you would be going after the artifact?" Moya winced, her eyes turning away, but Kaidan had seen enough. "That well, hmm?"

"What could she do?" Moya countered. "She's under house arrest. Who else was going to know enough to go after it? It had to be me."

Kaidan was silent as he considered this. _Who else, indeed._ "All the more reason to have me with you than my students, then," he told her as he stood up once again. Wisely, Moya kept her mouth shut. "Alright then … anything else I need to know before we arrive on Illium?"

Moya considered that. "Not that I can think of at the moment, no. If you find you have questions, feel free to ask, but realize that there are still some things I cannot talk about."

Kaidan chuckled. "Duly noted," he replied. Turning towards the door, he glanced back before stepping outside. "Thank you," he told her.

Moya nodded. Rising, she followed him to the door, standing there a long moment, giving him a considering look. "Kaidan …."

"Hmm?"

"I …." Moya sighed. She needed to say this. For her. For him. For all of them. "I just wanted you to know … you were the best thing to happen to my sister." She lifted her eyes to meet his. "She kept in touch with me. Back then. She told me … what she was thinking, feeling." Moya chuckled softly. "She also told me things she _wanted_ to say to you but didn't."

Kaidan's brow lifted at that. "Really?"

Moya flashed him a warm smile. Nodding, she added quietly, "My sister has a habit of … internalizing things too much, especially when it comes to personal pain and emotions. Being with you … it helped her find her way past so many old hurts. Things like the loss of dad at Elysium, of the events on Akuze …. even a way past the loss of Ashley on Virmire." Moya saw him wince at that. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. "I guess I'm just wanting to say that … I hope you two can work things out. You're good for her."

He stared at her for a long moment before finally smiling. "For what it's worth," he admitted, "she was good for me, too."

Moya nodded. "So I gathered." Tilting her head to the side a bit, she hedged, "You said 'was.' Does that mean … it's beyond repair?"

Kaidan sighed and shook his head. "It means," he told her as he straightened and began to turn away, "that life has a tendency to get in the way of personal preferences." One last time, he met her gaze. "Next time you speak with her, ask her about 'duty first,' then you might understand."

Moya nodded but remained silent as she watched him walk away. He might not have said much in words, but his reaction was very telling.

* * *

Dinner with Hannah, as Moya had suspected it would be, resulted in the retelling of many a tale from her shared childhood with her twin. No adventure, large or small it seemed, would be overlooked, and after two nights of such stories, Moya had hoped her mother would have run out of them. Sadly, she had not. But, somehow, Moya found a way to endure. However, that did not mean she didn't get pulled into the conversations.

Hannah, laughing delightedly at a memory, her smile so full that the creases around her eyes could be seen, leaned forward over the table as she drank her coffee and continued. "You should have seen them both, Kaidan!" she chortled, the memories obviously pleasing her. "One, right after the other! Troya leading the way like she's always done and Moya following close behind. I tell you, I've never seen _any_one scramble up a tree so quickly in all my life!"

Frowning, Moya objected. "Mum, you know damned well that was dad's fault! If he hadn't snuck up right behind us and shouted at us like we were wet recruits in basic training or something …."

"Hmm, I don't know," Kaidan offered, sipping from his own cup of coffee, a grin toying at his lips and a twinkle in his eyes, "I've seen Troya in action before. I know there's damned little out there that will scare her."

Moya sniffed. "These days, perhaps. This was nearly twenty years ago!"

The corner of his lips quirked upwards a bit more and it was blatantly clear he was trying not to laugh aloud. "She had to start learning somewhere, right?" he challenged.

"Exactly!" Hannah agreed.

Moya shook her head, scoffing softly at them both. "You are a menace, Mum," she chided.

The gleeful laugh escaping the captain's mouth announced just how seriously she did not take that accusation. "I'm your mother, Moya. Of course I am!" she teased with a broad wink and a wide grin.

Moya rolled her eyes. "Besides, _I_ was the one to lead the way up, not her."

Hannah snorted softly. Eyes meeting her daughter's, Moya gasped softly at the sudden intensity she saw there. "A mother always knows the truth," Hannah insisted. At a loss for words, Moya could only nod.

The sound of Hannah's omni-tool paging her interrupted them, and after a moment, the captain rose to her feet. "Looks as if we'll be arriving soon," she told them.

Moya glanced over at Kaidan who was rising as well. Following suit, she told her mother, "We'll go gather our things then." Kaidan nodded, turning to leave the room and giving Moya an opportunity to speak with her mother alone. Stepping towards her, she began, "Mum …."

Hannah's smile softened a bit as she gave her daughter a hug. "Just remember what I said," she interrupted. "_Always._" Sighing, Hannah leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now go. Get your things. If you need to, head down to the armory and they will issue any arms you need. Just … be prepared. And safe."

A bit stunned by her mother's sudden mood swing, Moya simply nodded, squeezing her back with a hug of her own. "I will, Mum. And we'll be fine. I promise."

Hannah nodded. "I know you will. You always are." Only then did she turn and exit the room leaving Moya standing alone and in some confusion. What had _that_ meant? After several moments pondering this and coming to no conclusion, Moya turned to leave herself. The mission was about to get underway and she needed to prepare.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Nos Astra, Illium_**

After a brief consultation with Kaidan and a quick side trip to the _Orizaba_'s armory, both he and Moya armed themselves with pistols before departing. Nothing overly spectacular and certainly identifiable as Alliance standard issue to anyone who might be in the arms trade and knowledgeable of such things, the weapons at least gave them a line of defense should it be needed. Well, a line of defense in addition to Kaidan's biotics, anyway. Yet, that said, neither was expecting such issues to arise. At least, not at this point.

The shuttle ride into the capital city was quiet, Moya keeping her own counsel as the pilot flew them into the port. As per their arrangement, the shuttle dropped them off and then immediately departed, heading back to the _Orizaba_ to wait further contact from Moya. Only then would he return to collect her and Kaidan. As the shuttle departed, trailing off into the distance, Moya watched it grow ever smaller until it faded from view. _And so it begins._

"Have you been to Illium before?"

The question brought Moya back to the present and with that, a return to the mission at hand. Glancing over at the major, she noted (not for the first time since departing) that though he was currently dressed in civilian casual clothing (which was a damned good look for him, she thought), Kaidan still exuded an aura that was more soldier than civilian. However, it did not seem to cause him any unease, and for that Moya was thankful. There were enough other parts of this mission to worry about.

"Just once, when I left the Object Rho project and found my way back to the Citadel," she replied quietly. Turning, they both entered through port security and continued on into the heart of the trading district. Moya had a map that Liara had given her and was marked with several destinations, including Dr. Menron's clinic. This was now programmed into her omni-tool and providing an active readout to lead them to the proper area. "You?" she asked in return as they continued on. Turnabout was fair play after all, wasn't it?

"Once," he admitted. "For a couple of days." It wasn't necessarily a memory he wanted to pull out just then, but she'd asked, so … He glanced over at her. "After Horizon," he added quietly.

Moya's breathing hitched. "Oh." What else was there to say to that?

They found a skycar lot a short time later and, as their destination was some distance from the port itself, rented one of the vehicles. Though Moya paid to rent the thing, Kaidan was quick to move behind the wheel. Surprised, she quirked a brow at him, question mixed with amusement at his actions. He simply replied with a grin, though, and waited for her to climb in the passenger's side. Once the doors were closed, he put the vehicle into gear and moved out into the flow of traffic while Moya brought the map program up on a visual display for him on her omni-tool. "Sorry about that," he told her in a tone that sounded more amused than apologetic as he maneuvered into the fast lane. "Old habit."

Moya bit back a chuckle. "It's old habit for you to commandeer vehicles from the people who rent them?" she countered curiously. "My, you _have_ had an interesting life, haven't you, major?"

Kaidan _did_ chuckle at that. "Only where your sister is involved," he returned. He saw her frown at that, and clarified, "Have you ever been in a Mako with her? Or any other vehicle where she is driving for that matter?" He gave her a broad wink. "Trust me, Moya, if you heard what the others were saying at the time, you would realize that my methods were simply an acceptable way to keep the peace."

Moya rolled her eyes. "Ah," she murmured after a long moment. "I suppose I can … see your point."

The drive took them nearly an hour, but thankfully, the rest of it passed uneventfully. As they neared the district, Moya began giving Kaidan more specific directions to their destination. When at last he pulled the skycar to a stop, they were still a few blocks from the clinic. Exiting the vehicle, Moya began turning off in the direction of the clinic, but Kaidan called her back. "Don't get too far ahead, okay?" he asked as he moved around to walk next to her.

Moya frowned. "Why not?" she asked, eyes darting around them as if searching for problems. "It's safe enough."

"Chances are, it is," he agreed quietly. "But then again, considering the nature of what we're here to discuss, it's entirely possible we're being followed."

Moya's feet faltered and Kaidan reached a hand out to steady her. That it settled at her hip, a seemingly automatic and wholly natural gesture, did not go unnoticed by either of them. Swallowing tightly, Moya felt her cheeks heat just a bit. _Distraction was probably an understatement_, she thought, her eyes meeting his. "Um … thanks." That he was undoubtedly correct in his assessment only frustrated her more. This was something she'd been taught from childhood, both parents having military training. "Right. Let's go."

The feeling of awkwardness spurred by that moment took a while to dissipate, but by the time they arrived at the clinic Moya found that it was mostly faded. Mentally shoving the remnants away, she turned her focus towards the building in front of them. Only then did she take a deep breath, straighten her shoulders and walk inside. Kaidan followed quietly behind her.

The clinic was not busy which, depending on one's point of view, could be a good thing or a bad thing. What it did mean was that Moya was able to easily approach one of the desk attendants and make her request to see the doctor. Within minutes, she was being escorted back to the doctor's office. Again, Kaidan followed behind in silence.

The doctor's 'office' was actually a lab where they found him mumbling beneath his breath as he multi-tasked: in one hand he held and examined two test tubes while using the other to busily jot down notes on a datapad. Moya stepped just inside the doorway, moving to the side. Kaidan remained beside her. Neither of them spoke. Their presence was noted, however.

"Yes, yes, yes, what is it?" the doctor called over quickly, though his attention never shifted from the vials in his hand.

"Doctor Menron?" Moya asked.

"Yes?"

Moya glanced over at Kaidan before stepping further into the room. When he nodded, she stepped forward. "Doctor, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm here to ask you a few questions if you can spare the time." Walking across the room, she came to a halt across the lab table from the salarian, peering through the various pieces, parts and tubing of the apparatus to get a better look at him as she did so. "It's very important."

"So are my patients," the doctor replied without looking up, his voice a bit sharp.

"Which patients would those be, exactly, doctor?" Kaidan asked as he moved closer to Moya, but still kept some distance between them. "Your waiting room was empty when we entered the clinic."

The doctor sighed before he replaced the vials into the test tube stand and turned to face them both. "Just because there are no patients in the waiting room does not mean there are none around," he pointed out. Turning towards Moya, he inquired, "Well, what is it? You have my attention now, might as well make use of it unless you are determined to waste my time."

Moya offered the doctor an apologetic smile as she moved around to show him a series of photographs. "Doctor, about six months ago, there was a clandestine meeting nearby between these people. A meeting that you were witness to." Moya looked up at him. She found it difficult to read salarians at times, but if nothing else was clear just then, she could see that this one was startled.

"I … that is to say …." He shifted his feet, eyes darting quickly between her and Kaidan before landing back on her and huffing softly in annoyance. "Why do you want to know? What is your concern with this matter?"

"Relax, doctor," Kaidan assured him calmly. "We just need the answers to a few questions, then we'll be on our way."

Though the man appeared to still be hedging, Moya flipped to a different photograph. "Do you remember seeing this woman on that day?" she asked, nodding at the picture.

The doctor tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he took a good look. After casting Kaidan one more doubtful look, he glanced over at Moya and nodded. "I do. She was the only human there," he added.

Moya nodded and flipped back to her original picture. This would be more difficult. The information that Liara had given her was less than complete, but there had been one photograph captured just after the meeting by an unnamed source …. Sadly, it was only of one of the threesome. "And this person?"

The doctor looked again. The picture was of poor quality, taken from the dimly lit side streets of the district, it seemed. It was difficult to say. "I cannot say for certain," he admitted after a moment.

Moya nodded. Flipping to one last picture, she showed this to him. "What about this one?" This shot had been taken from more of a distance and while it appeared to show the meeting itself, the faces were not recognizable. But it was one of the only three that had been captured, and so Liara had passed it along.

While the doctor examined it, Moya looked over at Kaidan. She could tell he was actively on alert, his eyes roaming around the room as he shifted into parade rest. Casual, yet ready to go at a second's notice.

"Wait," the doctor murmured, squinting harder at the picture. Moya looked over at him, a question in her eyes. "I think … yes, I'm pretty sure I recognize this," he announced. At the same time, he reached out with his hand and used his finger to point at the picture … but it was at their arms rather than their faces.

Frowning, Moya looked intently at the picture before pressing a few buttons to enlarge that specific area. The image was blurry, not meant to be enlarged that much, but it was enough to give her a vague idea to what the doctor was referring. "An … arm patch?" she mused.

The doctor stepped away, turning to cross the room where he began opening some drawers in a desk. After a few minutes of pushing and prodding, his hand closed around a piece of paper and grasped it before pulling it from the drawer. By this point, Moya and Kaidan both had followed him over. "This," he announced, handing the paper over to Moya. "I remember seeing this."

Moya glanced down at the paper to find a sketch of a …. She frowned again. A triangle of some sort? "What is this?" she asked.

The doctor reached out a long finger and traced the design. "A traditional turian tribal blade," he explained before moving his finger to trace the other. "And this one is a traditional asari blade."

"And this?" Moya asked, pointing to the blade across the bottom of the triangle that the three formed.

"Salarian," the doctor admitted. "All three of them," he pointed at the picture, "wore this device. On their sleeves. Almost like a uniform."

Moya glanced over at Kaidan. This was beginning to sound much more complicated than she'd imagined. "So … an organization of some sort?" she asked. "A mercenary group perhaps?"

The doctor shook his head. "I've come across most of the known mercenary groups," he admitted. "In my line of work, in the places I work, it's difficult not to. I've never seen this before and I've spent my entire career in the Terminus Systems."

Moya glanced over at Kaidan, handing the page across to him, but he shook his head after a moment, clearly not recognizing it. "Someone else then." Turning back to the doctor, Moya's posture straightened, taking on a more determined posture, her voice tight with conviction. "Doctor," she told him in a tone with much more of an edge to it now, "I need to know exactly what it was that you saw. I can tell you this much: it was an illegal sale of an ancient artifact. One that could mean trouble for the entire galaxy."

Kaidan stood nearby, arms now folded across his chest, eyes focused on the doctor, all in all a rather intimidating stance meant to help convince the doctor to give Moya the information she'd requested. But internally, he was reeling. In so many ways, at this moment, it was like being around Troya again. She could go from calm, compassionate understanding to sharp, steel determination in a blink of an eye and with no warning whatsoever. He'd seen it on multiple occasions, hell had been on the wrong side of it before, too. With her, he expected it. But with Moya ….

Okay, granted, he didn't know Troya's twin well enough to make that sort of assessment, he supposed. Other than the one meeting several years before, he hadn't been around her any length of time until these past couple of days aboard the _Orizaba_. All in all, though, it amounted to very little real information. _Identical twins_. He'd never met any before or since in his life (that he knew of), so he supposed his surprise could be understood. To a point. But now, as his gaze slipped slightly to his left and he focused solely on Moya for a moment, everything he saw reminded him of _her_.

* * *

_Kaidan stood quietly off to the side, eyes watching them closely as they conversed. The only way he could tell them apart, aside from clothing, was that Troya had her dark auburn hair pulled up in her usual twist on the back of her head whereas Moya appeared to like to wear it hanging down, semi-loose in a cinched tail just below the base of her neck. Aside from that, they both sported the same facial features - matching grey eyes, a spattering of freckles across the nose and cheeks just beneath their eyes, the same pert nose turned up at a similar angle. Even their ears appeared to be of the same shape, size and angle. Face to face like they were, he couldn't help but wonder if it felt like looking into the mirror for them when they spoke to one another._

_"Lieutenant?"_

_Kaidan was startled from his thoughts by the voice and glanced down at Liara who had moved to stand beside him. "Yes?"_

_"Is everything alright?" she asked, concern crossing her features. "You seem rather … pre-occupied."_

_His eyes lifted to the pair again, focusing on Troya for a moment and then trailing over to Moya. There HAD to be a way to tell them apart aside from clothing and hairstyle preferences. "I was just …." He nodded in their direction. "I guess I'm still getting used to the fact that there's another human being out there that looks just like the commander, wandering around, living her own life. I wonder how often they get confused for one another?"_

_A quick look back at Liara and Kaidan saw that she was looking them in a new light as well. "Hmm … a good question," she agreed. "But then again," she glanced up at him briefly, just long enough for their eyes to connect before she settled them back on the twins, "from what little I know of the commander specifically, and humans in general, might they not do that on purpose on occasion?"_

_Kaidan chuckled. "Good point," he agreed …._

* * *

"I will tell you what I can," Dr. Menron assured Moya, and she nodded. If nothing else, they might get something from his recollection of events that they could work with or that might help lead them into the right direction along with the logo he'd given them already.

"That day was a bad one," he began. "Had a patient die on me in surgery. There wasn't much I could have done - they'd been injured beyond repair - but it still was a blow. Young, had her whole life ahead of her … all ended thanks to someone who was careless driving their skycar."

Moya winced, but nodded at him to continue. "Afterwards, I needed a break so I stepped out back." He pointed to a door behind him. "Fresh air. A break from the realities of the situation. Something to help clear my head. While I was out there, I heard some voices, low and murmuring, and I went to investigate. I thought … I do not know what I thought." He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "When I neared, I found a stack of crates along a wall that I could stay behind, make sure no one knew I was there. So I did."

Retrieving the picture, he looked at it again for a long moment. "I couldn't hear what they were saying, but by their body language and by what I saw happen, I was able to recognize that they were making a trade of some sort."

Moya nodded. "Can you give me details on that?" she asked.

The doctor frowned. "It was pretty simple, really. They talked for a few minutes. No raised voices, no harsh words that I could tell. Just a simple negotiated trade. This one," he pointed at Kenson, "handed over a bag about this big," his hands moved to show a size equal to that of a soldier's helmet or so, "and in return was handed a small envelope. What it contained, I do not know, but if you are saying it was a sale of some sort, my guess would be credit chits." Another shrug. "After that, they separated and departed. I waited a short while to be sure they were gone before I turned around and came back here."

Handing the photograph back to Moya, he concluded, "That is all I know. Well," his head cocked to the side as a thought occurred to him, "maybe not quite all. I can also tell you that this one was an asari," he leaned over to indicate the three hazy forms in the photograph, "this one a turian, and this one a batarian. All three wore similar though not exactly the same clothing. All three had that logo," he gestured towards the paper with the drawing on it, "on their clothing."

Moya turned towards Kaidan, eyes meeting his, brow lifting to silently ask if he had anything else he'd like to ask. The major shook his head once, indicating he had nothing, and only then did Moya turn back. "Thank you, doctor," she told the salarian while retrieving the paper and folding it, placing it into a pocket. "You've been a great help."

The doctor's eyes blinked slowly, though Moya could see surprise there. "I have?"

She smiled at him as she turned away to depart. Kaidan was already moving towards the doorway. "Indeed. You've given me more than what I had to go on before. That's something," she explained. What she didn't tell him was that she was still just as stumped as she had been before. Perhaps Kaidan or her mother would have ideas in that regard when they returned to the _Orizaba_.

* * *

The return to the ship occurred quickly, quietly and without incident, just as had been hoped by the arrangements that they had been made prior to the mission. Kaidan had his doubts that it would remain that way, though. While discussions with the salarian doctor had resulted in another avenue of investigation or two, he knew for a fact that he and Moya were not any closer to knowing where to go next. He had intended to discuss this fact with her on the return trip, but almost from the moment they left the clinic, she withdrew into silence. Thought. Contemplation. Yet again, it was a bit of a shock to see this happen right before him and realize that it wasn't Troya herself acting with the same mannerisms, but someone else.

Arrival aboard the _Orizaba_ separated them for a time. Moya, after speaking briefly with Kaidan, decided she would go and update her mother on their progress (an interesting choice of words, Kaidan thought, but who was he to argue?) while he returned their weapons to the armory. Afterwards, they would meet up at Hannah's office and begin the next stage of their hunt.

Moya was already seated at the desk when Kaidan arrived, venturing out onto the extranet via the computer terminal there as he entered the room, two cups of coffee in hand after a side trip to the mess. (Some things were just necessary for the hours they would no doubt be spending researching.) One of these he set beside her, the other he kept for himself. "Any luck?" he asked.

Moya chuckled. "I just started," she told him.

Moving to stand behind her, Kaidan glanced down over Moya's shoulder at the screen before them. True enough, her search was showing a multitude of somewhat vague responses to her inquiry. Frowning, and not wishing to crowd her, he moved away from the desk and further into the center of the room.

"I suppose it's dawned on you? The connection between this logo and the Council?"

Kaidan blinked, her voice pulling him back to the problem at hand as the full weight of her words brought his pacing to a halt. The logo represented each of the Council races. Yet, the group it stood for seemed to be in direct opposition to what the Council was representing, if indeed it was some sort of mercenary group. "Deliberate?" he mused, though he knew that it must be so. What else could it be?

Moya's fingers paused, hesitating over the keyboard as she looked over at him. "I think we should assume so," she replied carefully. "Dr. Menron seemed to be suggesting that they were some sort of mercenary or other organized group. I can't imagine they'd have Council support, not if they're obtaining artifacts like Object Tau. Besides, I find it difficult to believe that such a group would have chosen this design for nostalgic reasons."

Kaidan couldn't keep from chuckling at that dry observation. It also sparked an idea. "I think you're right about that," he agreed. "But if it was done deliberately, why? I think it's obviously trying to send a message … but what?"

They spent the remainder of that afternoon searching for answers to that question. Hannah ducked in once after the ship was underway, heading back in the general direction of the Citadel for lack of any other specific destination, though she assured them that if they decided they needed to change routes, not to hesitate to let her know. Coffee was a constant companion as well. Moya continued searching the extranet, bouncing ideas and results off of Kaidan while he did the same from a second terminal that was brought in specifically for his use. When dinner time rolled around, Hannah returned with their meal and she stuck around long enough to realize that things were not progressing as well as the two had hoped.

"Anything I can help with?" she asked, not really expecting a positive answer, but offering just the same.

Moya glanced over at Kaidan who looked back over at her. Given the level of frustration they were currently at, another set of fresh eyes wouldn't do any harm, right? Kaidan nodded his agreement and Moya handed Dr. Menron's sketch over to her mother. "We are trying to identify this," she explained. "We've been led to believe that -"

Moya's voice trailed off as she saw her mother's face pale. Rising, she moved around to Hannah's side. "Mum, what's wrong?"

The captain's eyes shut tight for a moment and Moya heard a soft rasp as Hannah managed, "Elysium. That … I've seen it. Your father …."

Moya felt a coldness clawing at her heart for a moment, but she forced herself to wrap an arm around her mother, guiding her to a nearby chair. Kaidan moved quickly to cross over to them and offer assistance. Kneeling beside her mother, Moya squeezed the older woman's hand. "Mum, I need more information than that," she murmured. Based off what her mother had just said, Moya hated to do this. Elysium was a sore point for all three Shepard women. That had been the last time they'd seen Moya and Troya's father. Lieutenant Commander Alex Shepard was one of several Alliance troops sent in to Elysium during the Blitz who had gone missing and was presumed dead after the attack on the colony in 2176.

It took her a long moment, but Hannah soon was shaking off the assistance. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "It's just … you caught me off guard." Another brief silence, a deep breath, and she tried again. Looking up at Moya, she reached out to pat her daughter's hand. "You were in school at the time, Troya was on a mission somewhere. But, after the Blitz … I went in as part of the recovery team." Hannah's hand was shaking a bit as she lifted it to brush some of her hair back from her face. "I saw this logo then … or something incredibly similar to it."

Moya shared a look with Kaidan. "Where?" she asked, Dr. Menron's words coming back. "A uniform?"

Hannah nodded. "They collected the dead bodies, put them outside of the city, burned them to dispose of … there were so many …." Hannah shuddered, eyes closing again for a moment. "This was one of several I saw, but I was told they were all … pirates, mercenaries … the people who had been attacking. Not our forces."

Moya sat back on her heels, the weight of what her mother had just told her almost too much. So … mercenaries or pirates, yet not in the Terminus, but much closer to home ….

A hand at her shoulder had Moya glancing up to find Kaidan there. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Moya blinked a couple of times, but nodded. "Yeah … I think so." She turned towards her mother again. "Mum …?"

Hannah shook her head, squeezing Moya's hand. "I'm okay," she assured her. "It just … you caught me off guard, is all. It's been a long time, but …." Sighing, Hannah started to rise. Moya moved quickly and, with Kaidan's help, both women were soon on their feet again. "I'm going to lie down for a bit," Hannah told them, turning to exit the room.

Moya bit her lip, wondering if she should do something more to assist her mother, but Hannah looked over at her one last time when she reached the door. "Should I assume our next destination should be Elysium then?"

Moya blinked. "I … Let me get back to you on that. I need to check some things first."

Hannah nodded, turning to depart at last. So concerned and focused on her mother in that moment was she, that Moya jumped when she heard Kaidan step next to her and say, "If you want to go check on her, I can continue researching."

She turned, hand rising and settling on her chest as she struggled to recapture her breath. "Sorry … I -"

He shook his head. "No," he assured her, taking her arm and squeezing gently. "I'm sorry I startled you."

Moya nodded, hand now rising to push a few curls back from her face, tucking them behind an ear. Sighing, she turned towards the desk. "I …," she looked up at him to find kind eyes filled with concern. Her smile was less than complete, but she managed, "We lost my father at Elysium."

Kaidan nodded solemnly. "I know. Troya told me."

Moya frowned. "She …?" A second later, another sigh, a frown easing into acceptance. "Oh. Of course she did. Right then." Straightening, she went to sit at the computer terminal once again, hands moving automatically to the keyboard. "Let's see what we can find."

If Kaidan had any concerns about her changing topics so abruptly, he at least had the presence of mind to keep it to himself. To be honest, Moya wasn't certain she could handle that particular topic any longer. It was going to be bad enough having to go to Elysium and face it personally as it was.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Elysium_**

Illyria. Capital city of Elysium. Home to the largest concentration of the over eight million residents of the colony, a place where it would be easy to get lost among the many. Which was, all things considered, their plan going in. Find answers to their questions but remain unnoticed. They didn't want to tip off the person they were after. Especially now that they had a name.

It had taken some doing, but with further investigation after Hannah Shepard's insights, Moya and Kaidan had finally come up with a name and a group. _Meryt S'Dyan._ Asari. Leader of a mixed group of mercenaries and pirates known throughout the Terminus Systems. But known not so much by name as by their symbol. They'd only had success finding a few other details during their search, including S'Dyan's name and that the organization had evolved out of the ashes of Elanos Haliat's group, after Troya's elimination of him and the last of his men on Agebinium over two years before. While retaining some of the elements of Haliat's time, including the logo, S'Dyan's takeover of the organization appeared to have occurred very quietly and inconspicuously.

At the moment, though, that was all they knew. Well, that and the fact that S'Dyan, the supposed buyer in the pictures they had shown Dr. Menron, had a residence somewhere on Elysium. That it was not well broadcasted across the extranet, even speculatively, went a long way towards indicating just how powerful and influential a group they were now.

For security reasons, Moya and Kaidan attempted to keep their arrival in the city unnoticed, though that did not mean they weren't on their guard. Groups like S'Dyan's would have ways of finding out all sorts of information, including when they were being sought. For that matter, it was likely they had paid ears within the city itself just waiting to overhear someone asking the wrong thing. The plan, then, was to be a surreptitious as possible.

During the shuttle ride in, Moya and Kaidan discussed their plan of attack. They would scout around the city first, check out likely locations for leads (they'd found one or two potential places to begin with during their search) and go from there. Hopefully, they'd be able to find someone willing (or unknowingly able) to provide them with the information they sought: S'Dyan's current location and that of Object Tau.

It took them two days of careful reconnaissance and probing before they located a source they felt fairly certain could provide them with the information and would not turn around and give them away. Now seated at a table inside the small, run down bar, Moya found herself startled when Kaidan rose and murmured to her, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Glancing quickly up at him, her hand halting in its process of reaching for her drink, she hissed, "And just what am I supposed to do all alone here if someone comes by? Get on top of the table and tap dance? It's not like I'm an asari dancer on Omega, you know!"

Kaidan gave her a quick, somewhat amused look. "If that's what it takes to keep them away from me for a couple of minutes, I've no doubt you can improvise," he replied with a wink. Moya was left gaping at his back as he walked away.

Truth be told, Moya was more than just a bit surprised by the sudden change in attitude by the major. Not that it was unwelcome or anything, it just seemed so … contrary to what she'd come to expect from him on this journey. Until this leg of the trip, he'd been quiet and reserved; thoughtful and considerate; involving himself directly only when it seemed that things needed a little push in the right direction. But since arriving on Elysium, he'd pretty much taken control of the mission. Leading the way, making the decisions as to which people they would attempt to make contact with, determining their next course of action. Such as now, taking the lead on making contact. While still maintaining a low profile, Kaidan managed to present himself in a manner that more or less blended in with the people around them. To her, the change seemed to be like the difference between night and day. And though it was counter to the rules she'd set forth at the beginning of the mission, for the moment it was working, so she was content to let it be.

The next several minutes were uneventful though, and that was a blessing in disguise. By the time that someone began looking in her direction as if they might try to engage her in conversation, Moya noticed that Kaidan was waving her to join him over by the bar so she downed the rest of her drink before rising to cross the room to stand beside him. Under the guise of ordering and handing her another drink, Kaidan leaned in close enough to whisper, "We're to meet our contact out back in about fifteen minutes. They claim to have information that will help."

Their contact turned out to be the manager of the establishment … and he was more than eager to share what he knew. "Yeah, I know who S'Dyan is," he told them. His tone and the scowl on his face left no doubt to his feelings about the asari. "Anyone who's been on Elysium more than a week knows who S'Dyan is."

Moya opened her mouth to speak, but Kaidan's hand on her arm, squeezing firmly, kept her silent. "We need to arrange a meeting with S'Dyan," Kaidan explained. "Is that something you can help us with? Or put us in touch with someone who can?"

The manager, Povenk, snorted harshly. "You don't just go in and 'meet' with S'Dyan," he replied. "Not if you want to come out alive, anyway. Oh, she's civilized enough personally, has a huge estate up in the alpine region outside the city to the east, brings all sorts of 'guests' up there to entertain, that sort of thing, but in the end it's all just a show. She's a crime boss," he announced. "You know, like those ancient stories back on Earth? Rose up to take over after Elanos Haliat's group after he got himself killed, so they say. She was actually beginning to make her move before that happened, though. Very subtle and quiet. Since taking over control, she takes it all to a whole other level. You name it, they're into it - weapons, slaves, terrorism, intimidation … But, her hold here," he concluded, his face darkening with anger, "well, they've got people so scared they're afraid to sneeze because S'Dyan'll be there right behind them, finding new and ingenious ways to get money from you just to give you a cloth to wipe your nose."

Kaidan's brow raised in question and Moya, too, felt curiosity. How could someone like this have built up such an empire so quietly that no one outside of the Terminus had heard of it? Surely word would have made it around, right? Protests to the Council? Humans protesting to the Alliance?

Sighing again and as if reading their thoughts, Povenk continued, "Look, I'll make it plain for you - S'Dyan and her organization _own_ Elysium. Doesn't matter that we're a human colony. In fact, I'd say she thinks it's all the better because of that. Anyway, she's got a hell of a better organization than Haliat ever did. Devoutly loyal, willing to do whatever it takes and not question her. She's got backing from mercs and pirates all over the Terminus, including a huge following in the batarian Hegemony mainly because she's not afraid to go up against humans."

Moya darted a quick glance towards Kaidan, but he appeared to be considering Povenk's words. Again she opened her mouth to speak … and again she felt his hand tighten around her arm. "Why haven't we heard of this before?" Kaidan asked, putting voice to her earlier thoughts.

"Because the people around here _know_ better than to speak up. Terror tactics, blackmail, coercion, protection money - all of that and more are commonplace, daily occurrences when dealing with S'Dyan. You cooperate and quietly, or she'll find a way to make you pay for it." His eyes narrowed and his lips curved down in a scowl as he looked away for a moment. "Too damned many ways …."

This time, Kaidan did share a look with Moya. "Then why are you -?"

Povenk's eyes darkened now. "Because I'm damned tired of it all, and I've got nothing left to lose. Nothing of importance, anyway."

The barest hint of a sound nearby caught Moya's attention, and she suddenly felt her skin crawling in alarm. It wasn't much, just the brushing of something - fabric against fabric maybe? The lightest, scraping touch against a harder surface? Whatever it had been, it was enough to catch her attention, and to remind her that both she and Kaidan had stopped being aware of their surroundings. "We should go," she murmured, voice just loud enough for Kaidan to hear. "Inside, out of sight. The walls have eyes and ears out here."

Povenk heard too and shook his head. "No," he replied. "I'm not afraid anymore. I've got nothing left to lose. They already took -"

Another sound, followed swiftly by a gunshot, had Moya reaching for the pistol she was carrying. As she turned, she noticed that Kaidan was flaring, his biotics at the ready even as he pulled out his own weapon. Eyes scanning the area, Moya searched for an indication of the disturbance … only to turn back a moment later to find Povenk falling to the ground, hands clutching at his chest. Moya ducked down next to him, grasping him quickly beneath his arm, and pulled him off to the side as Kaidan moved around to protect them. Another shot rang out just as Moya released Povenk, this one landing near her head but in the side of the crate she was using to prop the man up with. Turning towards the direction from where the shot had originated on instinct, Moya raised her pistol and she released one shot followed instantly by a second.

Kaidan was facing the other direction when he heard Moya's pistol go off and turned at the sound. Searching the blacker than black area beyond, he heard another shot from the darkness, followed it's path in reverse with his eyes and soon enough both he and Moya could hear and something falling to the ground. "Stay here," he told her, pointing towards Povenk. At least with his biotics he could protect himself with a barrier field.

Moya was already kneeling beside Povenk, attempting to offer first aid, but she could see that the damage had been done. He was having difficulty breathing and the blood flow wouldn't slow no matter the various ways she attempted to slow it. "Shit!" she muttered, working as quickly and efficiently as she could.

A hand, weak as it was, grasped her arm. "No," Povenk rasped. "No time …."

"Just give me a moment," Moya tried to assure him, hoping her voice sounded more reassuring to him than it did to her own ears. Using her omni-tool, she administered a dose of medi-gel. "I can -"

His hand tightened. "No." Lifting his other hand, Moya realized it had been in his pocket and now had an OSD in it. "Take … this …. Will help …."

Moya's hand closed around the OSD, but before she could pocket it, she heard a sound behind her. Spinning, her pistol back in hand, she aimed … and then sighed in relief as she recognized Kaidan. And he wasn't alone.

"J-jules …," Povenk whispered, eyes widening in recognition. "You?"

The small woman dressed in the clothing of one of the kitchen workers spat at Povenk. "You were going to ... get us all ... killed!" she hissed, dropping heavily to her knees as Kaidan released his hold on her. It was then that Moya saw the growing dark, wet blood stain just below the left shoulder, face and skin pale and taking on the pallor of one in the final stages of life. Eyes drifting to Kaidan's, she saw him shake his head. It seemed that neither Povenk nor his employee would be coming out of this confrontation alive.

Kaidan moved over beside Moya, surveying the situation. Reaching for her hand and pulling her to her feet beside him, he murmured near her ear, "We need to get out of here before we can be tied to this."

Moya frowned. "But, what about -"

"Go."

She turned, eyeing Povenk. Jules had slumped down the rest of the way to the ground beside him, all signs of life gone. Povenk lifted his head just enough to catch Moya's gaze. Nodding, he repeated himself. "Go. Elysium … takes care … of it's own …."

Kaidan grasped her hand and began pulling Moya away before she could process what Povenk had told her or the possibilities of what it could have meant. He led her down the alleyway behind the bar and other assorted businesses beside it. Thankfully, the lighting in the area was minimal, and Kaidan was able to keep them in the shadows for most of the distance. When they reached a main thoroughfare, he took a long moment to evaluate the scene before them. Finally satisfied, he lifted an arm to place around her shoulder, pulling her close. "Put your arm around me," he told her quietly. "Pretend like we're just out for a night on the town together in each other's company."

Moya blinked. "I … but my hands," she protested, glancing down at them instead of following his request. "They're all bloody …."

Kaidan dropped his gaze to see for himself. Considering, he reached for one hand a moment later, pulling it around his waist, and told her, "Tuck your other hand into your pocket," while covering the one at his side with the lower part of his arm.

Surprised by his actions, Moya had no other option but to follow his request, the result of which had her positioned rather up close and personal. Swallowing tightly, she chanced a quick look up at his face. "Now what?" she asked.

"Now we'll head back to our rooms and figure out where to go from here," he told her.

Even with public transportation available, it still took them over an hour to make it back to their rented rooms. During the process, they found a public restroom where Moya could wash her hands off and only then did they begin their journey back. They moved at a casual pace, mixed in several instances of backtracking and twice rerouted themselves in the opposite direction of their actual destination, so that by the time they arrived at their lodgings, they were relatively certain that they had not been followed. Kaidan led Moya to his room first, pulling her inside the moment the lock was disengaged. Securing it behind them, he followed her further into the room. "We're going to have to go back to square one," he told her. "Find someone else who's willing to talk to us."

"No." Moya pulled the OSD from her pocket and handed it over to him. "Povenk gave me this. No idea what's on it, but he implied that it would help us."

If Kaidan was surprised when she suddenly provided the OSD, he hid it well, she thought. He took it from her, activated his omni-tool and the proper program, then plugged the device in. When he took a seat on the edge of the bed, Moya moved around to stand beside him, slightly behind so she could see it too. Within moments, several lines appeared on the screen and that was it.

Leaning over Kaidan's shoulder, Moya used her finger to trace the lines. "NavPoint coordinates. Location of entries into the estate. A passcode to break through their security," she murmured. She frowned. "But … what's this?" She pointed to one last line of what looked like code beneath the rest. It was a mixture of numbers and words.

Kaidan felt a shiver run through him. He could have written it off to the simple fact that she was so near his ear, her voice, even as soft as it was, triggering some sort of physical response, but he knew better. However, now was not the time to deal with that. Frowning, he considered the line she had indicated. "It almost looks like a second set of coordinates," he replied after a moment. He frowned. "Except for this." His finger ran beneath the lone word after the numbers. _Commence._

"Can you pull up a map?" Moya asked. "Plot them both to see if there's any obvious connection between them?"

He'd already moved to do so, pressing a couple of buttons on his omni-tool as she spoke, and within moments the map was before them. He input the first set of coordinates, the ones they believed to be that of S'Dyan's estate, and sure enough the location was in the alpine region that Povenk had told them about. Then he input the second set, appearing as a dot several kilometers from the first. "Interesting," Kaidan murmured as he attempted to narrow in on the location even more. "Both appear to be in the alpine region."

Moya watched, but all the while her mind whirled. Two locations. The first set _had_ to be the estate. The second set of coordinates looked to be … an afterthought of sorts. "Is there any way to tell what this," she pointed at the second location, "is?"

Kaidan shook his head. "None of the available maps will give detailed information. No geographical readings, no satellite scans … nothing." He sat back, free hand rising to tap at his chin. A moment later, he flipped back to the information they'd opened from the OSD. "_Commence_," he read. "What does that mean?"

Moya blinked. Out of habit, she began responding to the question, rattling off her reply. "To start, to begin, to launch, to …." Turning, her eyes widened and met his. "To _initiate_," she whispered. "A place that will take us close enough to S'Dyan's estate … to sneak in from …. You've got to be kidding me," she muttered. "Can it really be that simple? That … out in the open for anyone to find? Surely, Povenk wouldn't have made it that easy to find?"

Kaidan shrugged, pressing a button before allowing the omni-tool to power down. "He told us he'd made a decision," Kaidan reminded her. "He obviously wasn't concerned with whether or not he was found out."

Moya sighed. "Which he should have been," she pointed out.

Kaidan eyed her for a long moment. "Not every person can effectively fight back in situations like this," he pointed out logically. "And every cause will have its martyrs."

She turned away, muttering, "True enough." Really, what was there to say to that?

She could hear Kaidan moving behind her. "Anyway, I think we need to head out to that second location. If we're reading this right, it will give us a launching point closer to the estate."

Reaching for her duffle, she nodded as she began checking her gear. "Agreed."

* * *

Most of what they'd brought with them from the _Orizaba_ had been weapons. Upon arrival, they'd purchased some clothing to help them blend in with the locals. On their way out of town, they stopped to make another purchase - winter clothing and gear. The best part about the place they chose to make these purchases was that their presence didn't even appear to be out of the ordinary. This particular region of Elysium relied upon a very strong tourism industry to keep the economy going, particularly the ski resorts. The majority of shops provided a wide variety of trips and tours that one could sign up for and, at the same time, the commercial sideshow antics mosts tourists had come to expect in order to help them purchase appropriate gear to wear on said tours. In addition to tourism, there were a number of large industrial companies with heavily invested interests in the area. Mining, forestry, industry - all were popular in an area outside the immediate populated area, and therefore provided a second area of need for heavy winter gear. Kaidan and Moya's needs fell somewhere between these two needs, and as a result they escaped the superficial notice of of both.

As for actual transportation out of Illyria, Kaidan signed them up for one of these tours that was taking visitors out to a resort area. Using false identities, they were soon boarding the shuttle that would deposit them at the resort. From that point, Moya and Kaidan would break out on their own as their destination was just under ten kilometers up the mountain.

They were making good time until a winter storm blew in (they'd been warned to expect it by late evening at the resort) when they had about two kilometers left to go. Even in the heavy duty protective gear they'd purchased (preferring the type sold to the workers in the area to the chic styles geared towards tourists), the wind drove the snow, ice and cold beneath the layers. By the time they arrived at their destination, it was all they could do to just stumble inside the ramshackle building.

A building that proved to be more than it simply looked from the outside.

Once out of the wind and snow, Moya set aside her things and started looking around. The place was small, no more than two main rooms, a small bathroom and a tiny kitchen. One of the rooms contained a bed, the other a couch. Both shared a fireplace on the adjoining wall. As Moya explored, Kaidan sought out and found wood and other necessities for heating, and soon had a fire blazing in the hearth.

Moya returned from the bedroom a moment after, smirking softly as she walked to his side and began trying to warm her hands near the flames. "Always the boy scout, hmm?" she teased.

He chuckled and did the same. "It's come in handy more than once over the years," he admitted.

They settled down to a meal made of travel provisions that they'd brought with them, uncertain as to what they would find upon arrival. Even after a (filling?) meal, Moya found she was still cold. Shivering, she pulled her heavy coat back on and settled on the couch in front of the fire, hoping that it would help.

"Still cold?"

Moya glanced over as Kaidan walked towards her, two cups of tea in his hand. She accepted the one he passed over to her, hands wrapping tightly around the mug, seeking warmth wherever she could find it. Glowering at him slightly, she pouted, "Just because your biotics keep _you_ warm doesn't mean the rest of us mere mortals don't suffer."

Kaidan smirked, an easy chuckle escaping his lips. "Your sister used the same argument with me once," he mused as he stared into the fire.

Moya blinked. "She … did?"

He nodded. Eyes still focused ahead of him, he added, "She was always freezing aboard the _Normandy_. We'd all find her bundled up in some heavy hoodie most of the time. More often than not, we'd have to pry her out of it before armoring up for a mission."

Moya's eyes closed, a small smile playing at her lips. "It was a damn warm hoodie," she mumbled before setting the mug to her lips.

Kaidan's gaze turned then, meeting hers. "What was that?" he asked.

His tone was mild enough, but it was the sharpness in his eyes that alerted her to the fact she'd misspoken. "Hmm?" She affected a yawn, carefully stretching while maintaining her grip on the mug. "Oh … I said it was a 'damn warm hoodie,' if it's the one I'm thinking of. Gave it to her on our birthday one year." As she drank from her mug again, she felt another wave of shivers run through her.

"Hmm." He didn't seem very convinced, but there wasn't much she could do about it at this point. "You know, you might want to consider a hot shower before going to sleep. Might warm you up for a while at least." He nodded towards the bedroom. "I saw towels in the bathroom in there."

Moya debated his suggestion for all of a half of a second. Rising quickly, she ducked back out of her coat and handed him the mug. "I think I'll do that," she told him, another round of shivers wracking her frame. Grabbing her duffle, she headed into the room, closing the door behind her.

Kaidan remained on the couch, sipping his tea and thinking. It was, after all, one of the things he did best. And God knew he had plenty to think about just now. Something about what she'd just said - or rather, how she'd said it - had him wondering ...

* * *

She stepped from the shower into the steamy room content that, at least for the moment, she would be warm. It wouldn't last, she knew that, but hopefully by then she'd be bundled up in several layers of clothing (hang Kaidan if he gave her grief about that!) to help keep it that way for the night. She towel dried her hair, combing through the tangles until it fell loose and damp around her shoulders and only then turned to open the door into the bedroom where she'd left her bag.

She reacted without thinking, the movement to her left, unexpected and sudden causing years of instinct and training to kick in. Between hand to hand combat training and martial skills, she moved defensively to protect herself. Yet, not a blink of an eye later she realized it was simply Kaidan in the room and her reaction had been unnecessary. The motion she'd seen had been him stepping towards her. However, he too had moved in response to her, and she now found herself pressed up against the wall. His eyes bored down into hers, his hand holding her right arm up over her head, pinning it there. For the longest of moments, they held each other's gaze, reading, recognizing, coming to terms with what they discovered there… and in that moment, she realized that he knew. He moved his other hand to trace the scar on the underside of her right arm, up around her bicep, confirming that her charade was over.

"Troya."

Swallowing tightly, she continued to hold his gaze, knowing there was nothing she could say or do to put things back the way they had been. His use of her name proved her suspicions correct, and when Kaidan was absolutely certain of something, he was like a dog with a bone: He wouldn't let it go.

She opened her mouth, preparing to say something, _any_thing just to get the conversation started when she heard him speak. "Edolus," he commented mildly enough. His finger continued tracing the shape of the scar, running from tip to tip, from elbow to near her shoulder. "The transmitter that lured Admiral Kohaku's men there."

She shivered beneath his touch, light as it was, unable to stop her body's reaction. She struggled to break free from him, but only wearing a towel and using one hand to hold it up, there was little she could do. Instead, she replied quietly, "Yes. The thresher maw that flipped the Mako …."

His hand stopped, palm opening, he then curved it around the muscles there, covering the majority of the old wound. "Despite your armor, I remember the blood …. So much blood." His voice was low, slightly ragged. "I remember thinking you'd possibly severed an artery."

She trembled again, this time at the memory of the look on his face as she'd regained consciousness that day, crying out in pain, seeing the frantic look on his features. It had only been later, after the initial care had been given, that she'd realized what had happened. That the thresher maw had flipped the Mako, that her harness had snapped in the process, that she'd ended up with a chunk of metal slicing through her armor and deep into her arm. It had been during their talk after that mission, as she was recovering, that she had come to see just how much he was beginning to care for her … and she for him. "Kaidan … I -"

Kaidan released her then, taking a step away from her and turning. When next he spoke, she heard defeat in his tone. "Why?" he asked. "Why the huge deception?"

That he began with the why and not the how gave her hope. "The mission needed to be completed," she reminded him. "Dr. Kenson? Object Rho? Object Tau? All those things I told you, back on the _Orizaba_? Kaidan, they were all true. Every last one of them. Only," she turned towards him, finally looking at him even though his back was turned, "only it happened to Moya. _She_ was the one to determine just how important - and dangerous - those things were. _She_ was the one to realize that the group of scientists had triggered some sort of alarm to alert the Reapers, like you said. That the changes in personality of Dr. Kenson and her scientists were much more than that." She paused, taking a deep breath, shuddering as the reality of it hit her again, same as it had that day that Hackett and Moya had originally told her. "_They tried to indoctrinate my sister_, Kaidan!"

He turned then, eyes meeting hers. Unreadable. Hooded. Concealing. It was no wonder Anderson had tapped him out to lead the biotics black ops group. Kaidan had always been so good at hiding what he'd felt, at least from the naked eye. It had taken _weeks_ for her to realize he'd had any feelings for her back on the SR1. "So … where is she right now?" he asked.

Troya sighed, hand lifting to push her hair back over her shoulder. "Under house arrest in London, pretending to be me." She offered him a wry smile. "Look, it isn't like we've never switched places with each other before."

He frowned. "But she's a galaxy-renowned scientist specializing in indoctrination and you're -"

She sighed again, the sound filled with resignation. "And I'm Commander fucking Shepard," she muttered, hand rising to run through her hair. "Yeah, I get that."

She saw a flash of something behind his eyes, but they shuttered again, hiding it from her before he continued. "But how -?"

Troya shrugged. "It's been years since we did anything like this," she admitted. "And certainly, never anything at this sort of level before. Last time I think we were still in high school and Moya was taking a science test for me. That aside though, whenever we get together, we always talk about," her hands fluttered out in front of her in a hazy, vague sort of way, "us … what we're doing, projects, techniques, those sorts of things. As much as we can, as often as we can. Dad trained us both to shoot and Moya's nearly as good with a pistol as I am with my Widow." There was a tinge of pride in her voice at that announcement. She was a damned sight better with her Widow than she was with a pistol herself. "He also taught us both tech skills, though hers tend to lean more towards the scientific side of things than mine. Point is," she concluded, eyes still on his, "we know just enough about each other's lives to be able to pass for the other on occasion. At least on the surface of things."

'But you … you sounded just like her," Kaidan countered. When her eyebrow raised in question, he shook his head. "No, I don't mean your actual voice, although that's the same, too. What I mean is … when you were telling me about Object Tau … you sounded like you knew _exactly_ what you were talking about. The science behind it."

"Ah." Troya rose and pulled the towel more closely around her. "Well, I suppose I did." She struggled for a way to explain it so he might understand. "For starters, everything I told you about my part of the mission - about Dr. Kenson and the Alpha Relay - that was all true." He nodded. "When Moya and Hackett came to see me afterwards, once I was in London and under house arrest, I heard about Object Tau for the first time. We went over _EVERY_thing, from the time Moya joined Dr. Kenson's team to the time I escaped the asteroid … and only then did we discover the rest. We then spent another week going over every little detail, Kaidan." She sighed heavily. "It wasn't easy, but given our shared background, the fact that we talk to each other about stuff like this all the time, I was able to pick up on it fairly easily. When I realized I would be running this op to find Object Tau, well … I made sure to study even more. Moya made sure to give me the best information possible."

The look he gave her was indecipherable, and Troya found that she still couldn't be surprised by this, even though there had been a time, once, where she of all people might have been able to read his reactions. "Is she … Is Moya okay?" he asked.

Troya nodded and smiled, hearing the genuine concern in his tone. "Everything I told you was true," she insisted. "Thanks to our briefing her on the Citadel when we were chasing Saren, thanks to the added information I sent on to her after Virmire and Ilos, Moya was the first of Dr. Kenson's group to figure out that they were being indoctrinated. Hell, she was the _only _one to figure it out. As for the indoctrination process itself," she added, eyes narrowing in thought as something new occurred to her, "I suspect that was more Object Rho at work than anything else."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"My experiences at Dr. Kenson's base with it." At his look of confusion, she added, "I'll tell you later."

He was unwilling to let it drop, though, and his eyes widened as realization dawned. "It tried to indoctrinate you?"

She gave him a smile mixed with a mischievous grin, an almost wicked gleam entering her eyes. "It tried, yes," she agreed. "Anyway, after we determined that Object Tau had been missing before the rest of the base was destroyed, we began brainstorming a way to locate it, to find a way to neutralize it. Moya has no doubts at all that it is some sort of device, Prothean in looks, likely to serve the purpose you and I discussed."

Kaidan took a seat on the empty chair, facing her. "You told her what Vigil said."

She nodded. "That was, in large part, what convinced her that it was a threat and needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later," she admitted.

"So … why is she there, and you're here?" he asked next. "If she's the 'expert' on it, why isn't she the one going after it?"

Troya turned to face him, grim determination settling over her features. "Two simple reasons," she told him. "First, _I_ am the infiltrator. I'm the one with the training for these types of missions. While Moya's good with a pistol, she's still lacking in other areas of training."

"Even with my students you were going to take?" he countered.

Troya gave him a wry smile. "That was my own request, not because I was pretending to be Moya." She met his look head on, almost daring him to ask why.

He let it go for the moment. "And your second reason?" he asked instead.

Troya shuddered again, though this time it was less due to the cold than to the memories. Turning away from him, Troya crossed the room and reached for her articles of clothing one at a time, allowing her towel to fall to her feet. She heard a soft sound, a gasp maybe. Pausing in her motions, she glanced back over her shoulder to find Kaidan's eyes locked onto her … but not meeting her gaze. It was then that she recalled the other scars. The ones still healing, even after all this time. The ones Miranda had told her would heal, given time, but that Dr. Chakwas had urged her to get the cosmetic surgery to counter. She'd only done that much for the marks on her face, realizing that they could be distracting to others - her team, allies, or otherwise - at critical moments. When the doctor had suggested doing the same to her other marks, Troya had refused. It wasn't that she was vain, nor was it that she cared if they remained. Rather, it had been the added stress of undergoing yet _another_ medical procedure when the simple thought of such a thing drove her to a near panic attack ….

His eyes rose and met her gaze then, holding for a long moment. She saw the shock there, but not horror, at least. That was something. "Sometime," she murmured, "if you want, I'll tell you about how I was brought back."

He blinked. "That … that's from …."

Troya nodded before pulling the turtleneck over her head. Pulling her hair from beneath, she felt the weight of it settle heavily against her back. "I wasn't fully healed when they woke me," she admitted. He winced then, turning sharply away, and she wondered at that. "Anyway, in answer to your earlier question … Moya didn't come on this mission for the simple fact that she'd already proven to be susceptible to indoctrination."

He turned back to face her again at that announcement. "And you … aren't …." His eyes widened a bit. "You said Object Rho had tried to indoctrinate you. I'm going to assume by your response that it failed." Troya nodded. "Why weren't you?" he asked then. "Something else to credit Cerberus with?"

The venom with which he spoke the name was nearly as strong as it had been on Horizon, she noticed. It was on the tip of her tongue to chastise him for that, to point out that had they not done what they had, she would not be here, with him, right then. _Alive_. But she didn't. It cost her, she could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth as she realized she was literally biting her tongue to hold back her temper, but she didn't snipe back at him. "No," she finally managed when she was certain she could reply without anger. Then she shrugged. "The beacon … the cipher … I don't know. But think about it, Kaidan. From the moment we landed on Eden Prime that first time, I never had any obvious reaction to Sovereign's attempts to indoctrinate. Then again, on Virmire, when we spoke directly to Sovereign? Same thing. Later, on the derelict Reaper … Dr. Kenson's asteroid … These things _tried_ to indoctrinate us. There was a time or two that I thought perhaps one of the others with me might be succumbing to it. But in the end, I never did. Why?"

Kaidan blinked. It was a valid question, but he doubted that they'd ever find out. And besides, just because they hadn't so far didn't mean that they _couldn't_. Back on Virmire, Rana Thanoptis had implied that the entire process had taken a week for most, in some cases longer. "So … Hackett sent you because you have a history of not being affected."

"Something like that," she agreed. "I mean, genetically speaking, because she and I are identical twins, Moya and I should have had the same reaction to Reaper tech, right?"

Kaidan frowned. "Alliance enhancements?" he mused. All Alliance recruits received enhancements for improved strength and stamina.

Troya shook her head. "We're both children of soldiers. We both inherited the corrections that Mum and Dad received when they enlisted," she reminded him. "When I enlisted, there was very little for them to do for me."

They were silent for a time, both searching for answers, but in the end, neither came up with anything substantive. "It's got to be the beacon or the cipher," Kaidan insisted. "That's the only difference between you two."

Troya sighed. She doubted it was that simple, but when nothing else fit …? "Let's hope we don't ever really have to put it to the test," she told him. "I mean, we've never really been around it for any length of time, right? Perhaps it's just a timing issue? Though if you recall, you and the others never seemed to have a reaction either."

He opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again, the look he gave her then indicating that he wasn't going to belabor the point. "You're right … let's hope we don't have to put it to the test."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Troya reached for her socks. "We'll get through this," she insisted, eyes lifting to find his. "We always did before."

Kaidan had moved over to the window on the far side of the room, but now turned back to face her. As Troya pulled on her last sock, she noted that there was an edge to the look he was giving her. A concern, maybe? Rising, she crossed over to stand beside him. "What is it?" she asked.

For a moment, he was quiet, eyes turning back to look out the window. "From the beginning," he finally told her, "you didn't want me on this mission." Her adamant protests when he was convincing Anderson still hit close, and now he understood. Or, at least he thought he did. That didn't mean it didn't sting now that the truth was out between them. "Why?"

Though she could tell he was trying to hide it, she could hear the hurt in his tone. Reaching out, she touched his arm. "Kaidan, it _wasn't_ because of you … of us … or Horizon," she insisted.

"Don't you trust me?" he challenged.

Troya gasped. "Of course I do!" she retorted. "I gave in and let you come, didn't I?"

"Then _why_, Troy?" he demanded, realizing it was his pride that was taking the major hit this time. "Why didn't you want me along?"

Troya sighed, the truth warring common sense to break free. Releasing her hold on him, she turned away, averting her eyes so he couldn't see just how affected she was. "It wasn't you I didn't trust, Kaidan. I did - I still do! This … it was all me." Sighing, she shook her head. She was going to have to be completely honest with him whether he was ready to hear the truth or not. "Do you have any idea just what a temptation you are to me?" she asked softly. "I sometimes think the only reason we never gave in to each other before we did was because we didn't really know what the other was feeling at the time."

She felt the weight of a hand at her shoulder. "Troy -"

Turning, she closed the distance between them and lifted a hand to his cheek, cradling it. "Horizon is over, Kaidan. Done. I put the pain of it behind me and moved beyond it. I told you as much in those messages I sent you." She ran her thumb along his jawline. "I think you should do the same."

Kaidan shuddered slightly, but the increase in pressure of her hand against his cheek alerted him to the fact she'd felt it. "I … I want to," he told her, "I really do … I said some things back then I'm not proud of …."

Troya nodded. "And I understand why. Just … let it go," she told him quietly. "Please. Let it go. If we're to work together and finish this mission, you'll need to focus on …."

One last shudder worked through his system. Leaning towards her, he pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed. "Yeah … I know …."

Only time would tell if that would be enough.


	5. Chapter 5

They rose early, prepared quickly and began the trek towards the estate in silence. The journey took them a while. The distance itself wasn't that great, but with the storm from the evening before still raging around them, it more than doubled what they planned for travel time. Once there, they followed the information that Povenk had given them and with barely any trouble at all, they were soon moving inside after the color code on the lock switched from red to green. A moment later, they were inside the building; wind, snow and cold finally cut off for the time being.

"Come on," Troya murmured quietly as she turned to her right and started down the hallway. "Let's get this done."

"Wait."

Kaidan's hissed response had her turning back to face him. "What?" He was fiddling with the access panel on the inside of the building now, though what exactly he was doing she couldn't tell.

"Just two more seconds …. There." He shut down his omni-tool and turned to face her. "Erased the fact this entry was used," he explained, "_and_ managed to hack into the main system and download a floor plan for the estate. At least we won't be completely blind inside."

Troya felt a smile pull at her lips. "Good thinking, major," she returned, eyes sparkling as they met his. "Let's take a quick look." They were still relatively separated from the rest of the estate, the entry being set off to the northeast, a maintenance access area that, from the dusty nature of their surroundings, was not often used.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Kaidan asked as he pulled the image up on his omni-tool for her to look at.

"I'm guessing, based off what Povenk told us about S'Dyan bringing people up here to entertain, it might well be something out in the open and on display, though under some sort of security." She couldn't help but wonder if the arrangement would end up being something like Donovan Hock's and for the briefest of moments wished Kasumi was with them. Kaidan was certainly good and could likely get around most security systems, but Troya knew her old friend to be among the best.

"Hmm," Kaidan hummed as he scrolled through the several levels of the floor plan. "Wait … what about this?" He pointed to an area on the lower level, one that, if Troya was reading the signs and symbols correctly, had some upgraded security measures, but nothing they shouldn't be able to get past. "The 'library?'"

Troya snickered softly near Kaidan's ear. "What, just because S'Dyan's a crime lord, she can't read?" she teased. From her previous experience with Hock and his associates, Troya knew that such people, particularly those who led the organizations, tended to be more 'cultured' than the rest. Whether that was because they were in fact so or just attempting to display an image, she wasn't certain, but given that S'Dyan was an asari, Troya was tempted to lean towards the idea that she fell under the former category.

Kaidan gave Troya a sheepish look. "I suppose you're right," he reluctantly admitted. "Just never thought about it before, I guess."

Moving away from him and pulling out her pistol, ensuring that it was ready to go, Troya flashed him a smile. "Let's get going."

Their journey through the estate was one of relative ease which, by the time they were nearing some of the more commonly used areas, had Troya's senses on high alert. They were able to avoid highly trafficked areas such as the private apartments, kitchens, even the dining hall, but the fact that they came across no one, even security guards, was more than just a bit alarming.

Making their way to the lower level, they did finally notice an increased security presence. As they remained in the shadows near the doorway leading onto the level proper, Troya surveyed the situation. "Damn," she whispered, barely audible but Kaidan leaning closer to her assured her he'd heard, "I wish I had _my_ omni-tool." The one she was currently using was her twin's, part of her impersonation. What she would have given for her stealth cloak program right now.

"We'll stick to the shadows and hope for the best," Kaidan replied, hand squeezing her arm lightly in reassurance. How often had she relied on her tech skills in battle in the past? He'd noticed the evening before that her omni-tool was not her usual Savant, a fact which had startled him a bit when he thought about it. That was when she'd explained about having Moya's with her, to help reinforce her deception. And while he knew she was near unbeatable when armed with her own device, he suspected that she would be able to make do with the one she now had. "We can do this, Troy," he added near her ear.

So they stuck to the shadows as much as possible, though that limited the speed with which they approached the library. What might have taken them a half hour at most under other circumstances now took them two to three times as long with added time for ducking out of sight to keep from being spotted.

It wasn't until they reached a wide open atrium that appeared to open to the level above them as well that Troya really began to worry. Pulling Kaidan aside, from the shadows they spent a few moments simply observing. He was the first to point out increased number of guards patrolling the area on the far side of the open space, some out in the open, others not. From what they could see from their vantage point, Kaidan guessed there were as many as eight guards. She was the one to identify the snipers above, three that she could identify from their current position to be precise, though she suspected there was a fourth directly overhead where she did not have a clear line of sight at the moment. So at least twelve opponents. The odds for them weren't too bad. They had certainly faced tougher ones over the years.

The disadvantage to all of this, though, was that this time they were not in armor. Kaidan had modded Moya's omni-tool the evening before, tinkering with it to get as much extra shielding ability out of it for Troya as he could. He, thankfully, had his usual Logic Arrest.

Kaidan was about to indicate they should break apart, each take one end of the rectangular shaped room to begin their initial assault when he noticed Troya stiffen slightly, hand rising in signal to hold. Less than thirty seconds later, she was motioning him back, further into the darkness. It was then, after he moved, that he heard the approaching footsteps. And from the sounds of them, heavy with purpose, it was someone used to being in charge.

"Anything yet?"

The voice echoed throughout the open space, followed quickly by the rustling of underlings standing to attention. Kaidan and Troya shared a look. Definitely the tone of one in charge.

"No signs of them," a second voice responded.

Troya peeked around the edge of the door frame they were hiding inside and narrowed her gaze on the individuals conversing. She could see the second speaker easily enough, the flanging in his voice giving him away as turian, even if she couldn't see the horned crest. The person with whom he was speaking, she could not see just then, though her voice was certainly of a female … or an asari. Troya found herself wondering if S'Dyan was actually making an appearance.

"Are we sure they're even here?" a third voice asked.

Troya winced. If she'd needed further evidence that she and Kaidan were 'expected,' that was it. Somehow, they'd given themselves away.

"Oh, they're here," the first voice replied, sure, steady and … irritated? Troya glanced at Kaidan, saw the hint of a smile at his lips. He'd heard it too, apparently. Time would only tell if that would prove to be an advantage for them.

"What're they after, boss?" the third one asked.

_S'Dyan!_ Troya felt a pull at her own lips now.

"What do you think, idiot?" S'Dyan hissed.

Troya signaled Kaidan they should move back out where they had been earlier. As they passed in the doorway, he whispered, "You have such a way with people." She simply grinned at him in reply.

As S'Dyan continued to speak with the others, Troya eyed the area one last time. Signalling Kaidan to move around to the right, she took the left. Both remained in the shadows for the moment, taking advantage of the situation to its fullest. Arriving at her destination a short time later, Troya found an ideal spot from where to launch her assault. They would play to their strengths. Troya would focus first on the snipers, picking them off one by one as she could. It was her usual method in battle, just as Kaidan's would be to focus on the ground teams, using a combination of his weapons and biotics to thin them out as much as he could until such time that Troya would join him. The battle would begin with her first shot. Only then would Kaidan make a move.

During their informal briefing on the way in to the estate, Troya had advised Kaidan that if at all possible, they should bring S'Dyan in alive. The asari would have to answer for her crimes. However, their primary objective was to reach Object Tau. If things went to hell (and when did they ever not in situations such as this?), then they were to remove any and all obstacles to get to the object.

Crouching down behind a large planter that was partially covered by the overhang above and therefore kept Troya out of direct line of sight from the sniper up there, she pulled out her sniper rifle and took position. The weapon wasn't her favorite, not by a long shot, but she'd only had access to weapons readily available on the _Orizaba_. For this battle, it would have to do. Between this, her pistol and the grenades she had grabbed, she hoped it would be enough.

_Thank god for modifications_, she thought as her first shot rang out, hitting true. With the added mods, the damage done was enough to take down the snipers one at a time, one shot each. It wasn't until after her second shot had rang out that S'Dyan's guards began to react. By then, she had aimed and taken down the third sniper and was beginning to retrace her steps to get into position to take out the fourth. As she did so, she heard gunfire and shouts and smelled the tell tale change in the ozone around them as Kaidan began his part of the assault. Ducking into position behind a column, Troya began scanning the balcony above for the fourth sniper. A shot hitting the column right above her head, chipping away at the column itself and raining over the top of her head, gave her a trajectory to work from.

Deep in his own battle, Kaidan happened to glance over in time to see Troya ducking down in reaction to the sniper shot. In that moment, as he shouted out, "Shepard!" Kaidan realized a couple of things. First and foremost, no matter how good Troya was with her rifle, and he knew her to be _damned_ good, their experiences with the SR1 being destroyed above Alchera had him realizing that, no matter how strong of a force of nature she really was, Troya was above all else, still human. Which, of course, led to the second observation. That everything he'd felt for her before the SR1 had gone down, that was all still there, deep inside, despite her association with Cerberus. And it wouldn't be going away.

Kaidan was ducking down behind cover himself, darting glances out first left and then right before preparing to take a shot at one of the guards when he heard an amused chuckle rising over the sounds of battle. It continued to rise, echoing throughout the atrium, even as the yelp and grunt of Troya's last sniper taking a fatal hit and falling over the railing could be heard.

"My, my," S'Dyan purred, though Kaidan didn't see her, "another Shepard on Elysium? What a popular destination for you and how appropriate that you choose _now_ of all times to visit."

Frowning, Kaidan heard a sound to his left, he spun around while preparing to launch a biotic attack before he realized it was just Troya moving to join him. Dropping beside him, he could see shock in her grey eyes as she looked up at him. Visibly biting her lip, she peeked around the edge of the column while muttering, "Damn, I'd give almost anything for my Widow right now."

Kaidan blinked. "Your … what?"

Troya glanced back at him. "My M-98 Widow," she explained. "Sweetest sniper rifle I've ever seen. Even Garrus was drooling over it." She sighed softly as she hefted her current weapon. "Never missed a target with her and the headshots …," she allowed her voice to trail off with just a touch of wistfulness.

"I thought we were going to try to take S'Dyan alive?" Kaidan countered as he crouched beside her.

"Lieutenant Commander William Shepard," S'Dyan continued, her voice rather sing-song in tone and yet enunciating each word sharp and clear, "serial number 3927-AC-5526."

"Shit!"

Kaidan heard the growing irritation in her tone as Troya cursed. "What is it?"

"She's got his dog tags!" Troya hissed, anger beginning to build and color her logic.

"Troy," Kaidan insisted, "she's bluffing. That information could have been looked up on the extranet or ..."

Troya lifted her rifle up so she could look through the scope in S'Dyan's direction … and saw a flash of light reflecting off something metallic. Something hanging on a chain … and had an Alliance symbol on the back of it. Dropping back down beside him, she shuddered. "She's not," Troya whispered. Biting her lip, she glanced up at him. "Kaidan, I can't just let her -"

"She's taunting you," he insisted, watching in near disbelief as Troya moved to put her rifle into position again. He recognized the movements as she lifted it to her shoulder, took aim and lined up her shot, then prepared to fire. "Troy, don't do this!" he insisted. "I don't care how much you've changed since Cerberus rebuilt you, all right? But I know for a fact that _you aren't a cold blooded murderer_! Don't let your judgement be clouded by -"

Troya paused, body frozen as his words finally broke through and hit home. "No …," she murmured, dropping her hand from the trigger. "No … that … no."

Kaidan nearly sagged in relief. "Troy …?"

She looked over at him, eyes meeting his. He could see a riot of emotions battling behind them, but she did offer him a weak smile. "I'm … I'm okay," she told him. Sighing, she felt a shudder shimmy through her then. "I'm good," she repeated, though it was more as a reminder to herself than a reassurance for him. "How many are left?"

"Not many," he told her. "S'Dyan and a couple of others, I think?"

But by that point, S'Dyan and her men had moved under cover, and no matter how or where Kaidan and Troya moved, they remained hidden from their line of fire. "I don't suppose you could do one of your lifts to get them out of there?" Troya asked after several tries at repositioning herself.

"That would only get one of them," he pointed out as he followed her, "and that's if we guessed right as to their locations."

Frustrated, Troya growled just a bit. She didn't see the small grin Kaidan sent her direction. He'd heard that sound upon occasion in the past, and it had never meant anything good for the opposition. "Dammit! What if we -"

"Come on out, Shepard," S'Dyan called out, voice echoing across the chamber. "We know why you're here."

Troya rolled her eyes as she tried yet again to use the scope to find any indication of where S'Dyan and her men were hiding. "You know nothing," she called back.

S'Dyan laughed. "Oh, _WE_ know plenty. You're here for the artifact, are you not? The one you let slip through your grasp before?" There were additional chuckles, obviously her mercs reacting to her words. "Your reputation precedes you, _Doctor_ Shepard."

Troya's breath caught softly and she spared Kaidan a small look of surprise. "They still think …."

Kaidan nodded, smile widening as he finished in a hushed whisper, "You're Moya."

It only took a fraction of a second for Troya to find a way to use this to her advantage. "And what reputation might that be?"

"Don't try to play coy, doctor," S'Dyan countered. "The entire galaxy knows you are one of the top researchers on the Reapers and indoctrination. If you had but asked, I would have welcomed you with open arms."

Troya chuckled softly, despite the creepiness S'Dyan's words were evoking. When Kaidan gave her a questioning look, she quipped softly, "And here Moya was thinking no one knew of her outside scientific circles!"

Kaidan smiled, but there was also a look of concern. "Why would they?" he asked, nodding in the direction of S'Dyan's voice. "I mean, they're hardly the scientific types, right?"

Troya shrugged. "I don't know … but clearly they do. Possibly because they researched my father's background? They've had his dog tags this entire time, it wouldn't have been difficult to find." Turning her attention back to her opponent, she asked, "And why would I have assumed that? The artifact you have is not some trophy to be put on display, it requires research and study in a laboratory. It's dangerous -"

S'Dyan began laughing, her voice tinged with near hysteria. "What sort of fool do you think I am?" she demanded. "It needs no further study that what you gave it before!"

Troya frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I _mean_ that if you didn't hear it speak to you before, you didn't listen closely enough!"

Troya gasped and met Kaidan's eyes again. "'Speak'?" she whispered. She saw his eyes widen in surprise. Could it be that S'Dyan meant that literally? "_Speak?_ Is she … She's indoctrinated!"

He nodded his agreement. "From what you said about that thing, it's entirely likely. Vigil told us that the refugees who were taken into the Prothean communities were indoctrinated so they could betray them. It's logical to think that, if Object Tau was used for that same sort of purpose, it would have a way to ... reinforce the indoctrination."

Troya sighed. "Yeah. But Moya had thought it was mostly Object Rho that was trying to indoctrinate them. God knows it tried with me. But now … I wonder if it was both objects that were behind it?" Another sigh. "Damn! The rather unfortunate thing from what I've seen and heard is that once someone is thoroughly indoctrinated, they don't ever return to normal, even if removed from its influence."

Kaidan glanced sharply over at her. "What? But … what about your sister then?" Kaidan asked. "You said she -"

Troya shook her head. "No, she wasn't fully taken in by it. She recognized what was happening before she could be. After that, she managed to fight it off until she could get away from it … Remember, Rana Thanoptis told us it could take up to a week or maybe more? She'd been around it, studying it, knowing what was going on and yet she hadn't been indoctrinated … yet. She told us she would have to move on soon or become a subject of study, herself, as the person before her had. As soon as Moya realized what was going on, she got out and away within a few days. A little rattled, but no worse for wear. But Dr. Kenson and the rest of her people? Those who stayed? They were too far gone by the time I got there," Troya explained with a sigh. "And once they get that far, the condition is permanent."

"You're certain?"

"Kaidan, you were with me on Noveria," Troya told him, searching for evidence she knew he couldn't refute. "Don't you remember what Matriarch Benezia said when we offered to take her to freedom? She told us she'd set aside a place in her head away from it, but that wasn't enough. 'I am not myself, I never will be again,' she told us."

Kaidan's eyes closed, but he nodded understanding. He did remember quite clearly. "So … no matter what, we can't leave S'Dyan and her people alive? They will never recover from indoctrination?"

"Come on out, doctor," S'Dyan's voice broke through once again. "The artifact will give you another chance, you know this. You have but to listen to it."

Reluctantly, Troya put away her sniper rifle and began to rise. They had to get in closer to finish this. "No," she replied to his questions. "They won't."

She was about halfway up when Kaidan reacted by snatching her wrist. "What are you doing?!" he hissed.

"I have to get near her," Troya insisted. "We're never going to get into that library unless we clear S'Dyan and the others out of the way first, and they are clearly not coming out of their own volition. I will distract them and you can get into a better position to initiate a surprise attack."

"You'll distract them? How? By sacrificing yourself?" Kaidan countered.

An almost feral smile played across Troya's lips then. "No. Don't you recall the story of the Trojan Horse, Kaidan?" she asked.

He sighed, but nodded. "That doesn't mean I have to like it, Troy," he retorted.

Pulling her hand from his, Troya took a step away. "Fine, then remember the old saying? 'The hardest part about playing chicken is knowing when to flinch.'"** Sighing again, Kaidan rose and reluctantly prepared for the battle to come.

Troya stepped around the edge of the column, into the line of sight of anyone who might be looking. Slowly, she took a step forward, then another. "I am listening, S'Dyan," she called out as she continued to move into the middle of the atrium. "Talk to me."

There was a movement off to her right, a flash of muted color as form took shape and stepped towards her. But Troya didn't need to glance over to recognize it wasn't S'Dyan. This one was a turian. Another step. Then another. Two more armed men rose and moved around, weapons pointed towards her. For the moment, they appeared to be focused on her rather than looking for Kaidan. That was a good thing. After another half dozen steps and just off to her left, Troya finally spotted S'Dyan emerging from the shadows. Straightening her shoulders, Troya told her, "You have my attention."

S'Dyan chuckled, her hand rising to dangle the dog tags from her fingers, allowing them to rock back and forth gently as she held them suspended in front of Troya. "Indeed I have," she murmured as she stepped closer. Moving to circle Troya, she continued. "And you have ours."

Though she kept her eyes ahead, Troya quirked a brow. "'Ours?'" she asked. "Is someone other than you giving the orders here?"

S'Dyan made a sound, a hiss mixed with a growl, or something close to it. She was clearly agitated. "_I_ am in charge here," she announced in a fierce tone. "No one tells me what to do!"

Troya bit back a smile, lowering her head slightly in a respectful nod. "Of course. My mistake." Taking a deeper breath and releasing it slowly, she continued, "What is it exactly that you would have me to listen to?"

Gesturing one of her men towards Troya's left, S'Dyan nudged Troya's shoulder to get her to follow him. "That way and you shall see, doctor."

Making the decision to follow, Troya could only hope that Kaidan was moving into a more favorable position. Within moments, though, she had her answer. S'Dyan had four men left, three of them walking ahead of Troya and one already at the door. As she came within a few footsteps of the door, Troya felt the indicative crackling-hair raising reaction along her arms and legs that she usually noticed whenever Kaidan employed his biotics nearby. That she could feel them beneath layers of heavy winter clothing indicated just how strong of an attack he was using. Reacting on instinct (and hoping her moves complimented Kaidan's choice of attack since she had no clue what it would be), Troya reached for her pistol in the same movement as dropping suddenly and rolling sharply to her right. This brought her up to her knees as the side roll completed and, with pistol in hand, she was able to take a shot at S'Dyan. At this close of range, Troya didn't miss except, perhaps, a bit lower than had been intended; her shot entered through S'Dyan's neck. But with the resulting rush of purple blood, Troya knew she'd hit the major artery found there. It was only a matter of time.

Turning her attention briefly, even as she moved to kneel beside S'Dyan, feeling for a pulse, Troya noticed that the four others had been disposed of. The three who had been approaching the door were now well out of sight, in which direction Troya had no idea, and the fourth was lying in a crumpled heap near the door, a blue trail of blood oozing from damage from a shot just above his right eye. Glancing at Kaidan as she felt the last of S'Dyan's heartbeats fade away, she asked, "Where are the others?"

Kaidan nodded upwards and down to Troya's left, and that was when she turned and saw two of the three forms falling lifeless to the ground with a heavy thud. "Third one landed on the balcony," he explained.

Before rising, Troya located the dog tags she'd seen, untangled them from S'Dyan's lifeless fingers and took a quick glance at them. Swallowing tightly, she pocketed them before moving across to Kaidan's side. Later. She could deal with that later. "Okay, let's get this over with. We need to grab Object Tau and get out of here before reinforcements arrive."

"Right."

The door opened easily enough, and after a moment spent in surveillance, they discovered the control panel for the security system. Kaidan disabled it quickly and they both then turned their attention to the main portion of the room. The 'library' was indeed filled with books … and more. Artwork and objects of varying cultures and species were spread throughout the room, giving it a very museum-esque flair. However, knowing exactly what they were looking for, the hunt for Object Tau was easy enough and soon accomplished.

"There," Kaidan told her, pointing to a display platform in the center of the room.

Nodding, Troya began approaching it. "Do you have the case?" she asked, referring to the travel case they'd purchased to carry it out in. It wouldn't do much to protect from any indoctrination efforts on the artifact's part but it would just keep it out of sight for any curious onlookers.

"Here," Kaidan told her as he retrieved the bag, holding it open for her. They had decided the previous evening that, given Troya's previous encounters with Prothean and Reaper technology, she would be the one to physically touch it and he would help as he could. So saying, he was holding the bag open for her when it happened.

The moment Troya's hands touched Object Tau, she felt the change. It was like an electrical shock, but not. Similar to being with Kaidan when his biotics flared, and yet different at the same time. Whatever it was, however it could be described, it had Troya freezing in place, a sharp gasp escaping her lips, and then … nothing. At least, Kaidan could see nothing obviously wrong, though it did remind him of Troya's reaction to the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime three years before. For Ashley and himself, nothing had seemed out of the ordinary other than Troya being lifted off the ground, arms spread wide, remaining suspended such for less than a minute before falling to the ground, unconscious. But for her, he found out later, it had been a journey of a visual sort. One that had taken them weeks and months to sort out completely.

Similar to her previous experiences, Troya saw visions flashing before her eyes. Her current surroundings faded to the background, completely out of sight, and in place of it came visions of … Reapers … betrayal … death … destruction … inevitable extinction. She fought it, or the influence of it, as much as possible and finally broke free when her hands slipped and ceased contact with the object. Only then did she fall to her knees, head lowered, a soft groan echoing through the room.

"Troy!"

His voice was an anchor, the feel of his hands on her shoulders and arms giving her something familiar to focus on. "I'm … I'm okay," she finally rasped, lifting her head to meet his worried gaze. "I … wow. That thing … packs a powerful punch!" Her attempt at levity went unacknowledged, she noted, though she really couldn't blame Kaidan.

"What happened?" he asked.

"A … vision," she explained. "Something like Eden Prime … and Object Rho … but at the same time, not. This was more vague …."

_SHEPARD_.

Troya gasped, head snapping backwards as she heard her name called in an all too familiar, deep rumbling tone. At first, she thought only she could hear it, but Kaidan's eyes widened in shock and he started looking furtively around the room. Scrambling, Troya managed to get to her feet, Kaidan following her up.

_YOU STILL STRUGGLE AGAINST THE INEVITABLE._

"Oh shit," Troya hissed, "not this again!"

Kaidan was still looking around the room. "_Again_?" he echoed. Where was it coming from?

Troya found herself looking around too, out of instinct, though she thought she knew the origin. Approaching the platform and Object Tau again, she began to circle it, eyes examining it closely. The device definitely looked to be Prothean in design and yet there was a somewhat Reaper influence to it, Troya thought. It had been sent with the refugees to help weaken their resistance … and give the Reapers a way to locate those races still needing to be taken. "We will _NEVER_ give in to you," she replied. "You won't win!"

"Troya, who are you -"

_THE HARVEST CANNOT BE STOPPED. YOUR RESISTANCE SERVES NO PURPOSE._

"NO!" Troya shouted, anger flaring as she reached into her pockets. Turning towards Kaidan, she demanded, "Give me your grenades."

Kaidan blinked in surprise, but reacted without thinking. "What is going on, Troy?" he asked as he handed them over. "Who is … _that_?"

Troya began rigging the grenades to the platform, securing them to the sides so that they would stay in place. "That is Harbinger," she replied in a surprisingly mild tone as she worked. "And he's just a little miffed at me at the moment. Apparently, he didn't take kindly to me blowing up the Collector Base or denying the Reapers access to the Alpha Relay."

"He's …," Kaidan's voice seemed to crack in astonishment. "He's a _Reaper_?"

"Yeah. He's also the one who wanted my body after my 'death' over Alchera," she added while finalizing her preparations. Kaidan's gasp was soft, but it still caught Troya's attention. Taking a moment to look over at him, she advised, "If you want details about that, you need to ask Liara. Right now, though, we need to finish this."

Shaking off his disbelief, Kaidan nodded and only then looked down at the platform to see what Troya had been doing. "What …? Troy … what's this?"

_YOU CANNOT RUN, SHEPARD. YOU AND YOUR KIND WILL BE HARVESTED. PREPARE FOR OUR RETURN …._

Grasping Kaidan's arm, she pulled him towards the doorway. "Come on," she murmured. "Chances are they've been using it as a tracking device like Object Rho was. If that's the case, we've got to hurry or they'll locate our position using this thing!" As she walked, she began fiddling with her omni-tool. She hoped her sister's rig would cooperate. It wasn't exactly standard issue, military grade, but then again in N7 school, they'd had basic equipment to learn on.

Only then did the full reality of their situation hit him. "Shit. Right." He followed her to the doorway, turning back when she did. "Okay, what now?"

"I'm adjusting my omni-tool to emit a frequency to set off the grenades," she explained. "Then we run like hell!"

Thankfully, there was enough power in Moya's omni-tool to accept the programming trick that Troya had learned at N7 school, one of those 'spur of the moment, when there's no other option' types of plans. Turning from the room as she hit the button, she and Kaidan ran like hell as she had suggested. Retracing their steps, they managed to escape the estate before the entire structure could come tumbling down around them, burying them beneath any of the debris.

But they soon discovered that was only half the battle. Once they exited the compound, they found themselves outside and thrown back into the wild and unforgiving alpine wilderness of Elysium which was _still_ enduring a blizzard of epic proportions. Visibility was so poor, he could barely see his hand in front of his face. The mission objective changed yet again. Grabbing Troya's hand tightly in his and refusing to let it go, Kaidan began the long trek back towards the cabin. He only hoped they could make it back before freezing to death.

* * *

**** Quote from the movie ****_The Hunt For Red October_****.**


	6. Chapter 6

The journey that had taken them several hours to make just that morning seemed to take twice as long on the way back, owing as much to their preoccupied thoughts as to the weather surrounding them. But once they arrived and were indoors, Kaidan glanced at his watch and realized that it had actually taken them less time than earlier in the day. He mentioned this in passing as they both began removing their gear.

"It's always faster downhill," Troya quipped as she shook off the snow and removed her weapons and coat, still ice packed and snow covered, before moving into the bedroom to retrieve the one sweater she had purchased before they had left Illyria. Victory on their mission aside, some things never changed, and she was freezing yet again.

Kaidan followed suit before stepping over to stoke up the fire once he was weapons-free. He was still kneeling before the blaze, adding more fuel, when Troya knelt down beside him, hands outwards as she tried to warm them. Glancing over at her, he searched her face for some sort of reaction to the events of the day. However, as this was Troya, no obvious reaction was forthcoming. Yet. "So," he murmured, hoping it sounded casual enough, "what now?"

"I messaged the _Orizaba_," she explained, "but they said they won't be able to extract us until this storm is over, and they said it looks like a doozy. Once it's cleared, we're to descend to the resort and they'll send a shuttle in to pick us up there. After that …."

Sitting back on his heels, Kaidan turned to face her. "After that it's back to London and house arrest for you, isn't it?"

Troya flashed him a rare but thoroughly genuine smile. "I think we both knew my 'Get Out of Jail Free' card had an expiration date," she pointed out.

Kaidan chuckled softly. "Your sense of humor needs some work, Troy," he suggested.

She grinned and batted her eyelashes at him. "No, it doesn't," she told him. Then with a sigh, she too sat back on her heels. "God," she muttered, "how am I going to explain all this to Admiral Hackett? I was supposed to bring Object Tau back for study, not blow it to smithereens."

Kaidan's smile widened further. "Are you really worried about Hackett?" he asked. "From what you've told me, I'd think you'd be more concerned with your sister's reaction. Wouldn't she be the one likely to have been put in charge of its study?"

Troya groaned, hands rising to cover her face. "Don't remind me," she ordered.

Kaidan laughed aloud and rose to his feet, offering her a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am!" he replied before turning towards the kitchen.

Troya sat in front of the fire contemplating the events of the mission. Things most definitely had not gone according to plan, though she had no doubts that Hackett would support her decisions. Hell, when it got right down to it, this was simply a mop up action of the events from the previous one, and he'd fully supported her on that. Besides, the chance of having the Reapers find the location of Object Tau and use that to enter into the galaxy had been too big of a risk to take compared to the need to study the object, let alone the potential for indoctrination of every scientist assigned to the project. Everything taken into consideration, the objectives of the mission had been met. Object Tau had been 'dealt' with, even if the end result wasn't necessarily one that had been hoped for. Add in the little side benefit of removing S'Dyan and her group from the picture, and well, Troya figured - or at least, hoped! - Hackett would be praising her for her decision.

Minutes later, though she hadn't realized that much time had passed, she found her thoughts interrupted when she felt something being pressed into her hand. Looking down, she found Kaidan handing over a mug. "What's this?" she asked, noting the warmth and steam rising from the cup as she took it between both hands. Carefully pulling it towards her face, she took a long whiff ….

"Hot chocolate. Whoever was here last left some behind. Thought it might help you warm up …."

Carefully, she lifted the drink and took a sip. Closing her eyes, she could not stop the moan of pure ecstasy that passed her lips. It might not be a perfect cup of cocoa - no milk or whipped cream or any of those tiny little marshmallows - but it was warm and chocolatey and oh so good. "Oh, god," she groaned, ignoring the physical temperature of the liquid and taking a larger sip. "I did not know until now just how much I needed this!"

Kaidan carefully sipped at his mug, but remained silent. The sounds that Troya made had set him on edge … an edge that he'd been determined not to cross with her just yet, especially considering that she was heading back to Earth serve out the rest of her punishment. Nothing between them really had been resolved, and he knew that despite having been on a mission of such vital importance together he should be angry with her for deceiving him. However, even after all of that was said and done, and hearing Harbinger's voice echo her name throughout the library had only brought this point closer to home for him, Kaidan found that he wanted their last moments together to be just that …_ together_. Staring down at his drink for a long moment, he found he was battling himself over this dilemma. Something - or someone - had to give somewhere … right? Granted, he wasn't even certain Troya was interested, though her comments from the night before had suggested that she did still view him in such a ….

"Kaidan?" Troya called over to him. "You okay over there?" Leaning towards him, she reached out and touched his hand, adding, "It won't bite, you know."

"Heh," he managed softly, a small smile forming in reaction. How could he waste this time with her when she was supposed to go back to Earth? Back into complete isolation from everyone and everything? Yes, they needed to finish sorting their situation out, but today, when Harbinger's voice had echoed around them, when he'd seen Troya react so strongly to the threat, he'd realized that despite the issues remaining between them, he still wanted her in his life. He still cared. The question was, did she? "Troy …?"

Troya glanced up into his eyes as he looked over at her, heard the crack in his voice as he spoke, saw the conflicting emotions behind those beautiful brown eyes. Sighing softly, she set her mug aside. "Kaidan."

The sound of her whispering his name had him suddenly trembling, but it also went a long way to indicate her views on their situation. Didn't it? Or was he reading too much into it because he finally had come to the conclusion that he really wanted things between them fixed? He knew they'd both grown since the last time they'd been together; they would never be the same people they had been before the destruction of the SR1. But that said, her words had indicated that she was still interested in him … in _them_ … in pursuing some sort of relationship, though what that was exactly he doubted either of them really knew just yet.

Troya saw it first, that little flare in his eyes that indicated a decision had been made. Reacting on instinct alone, she reached for his hand that held the hot cocoa and set it aside by hers all the while never taking her eyes off of his. Once the mug was out of danger, she began to lean in towards him, hesitating only when she was so close she could breathe in deeply, reveling in the scent of him - eezo and just a hint of spicy musk that was only him. As she did so, she curled slightly, her head tilting to the side as if to rest against his shoulder and yet not touching him at all until she moved in and pressed her lips against his throat. Just the lightest touch, barely the hint of skin meeting skin. She could taste him, feel the throbbing of his pulse as it sped in reaction to her presence. Like every time she had done this in the past, her lips curved, a movement which she knew he could feel against his skin, just before the tip of her tongue darted out for the briefest of seconds, retreating only once she'd marked him as hers.

It had been a long time since they'd last danced this dance, but Kaidan remembered the steps well enough. Groaning softly as her lips began to move, his hands reacted on instinct, rising to slide beneath the heavy weight of the sweater and the shirt beneath, creeping ever so slowly upwards and then finally, beneath the edge of the fabric that bound her until he managed to unhook it. He could remove the thing completely right then and there if he wanted, he knew that. But he knew that this might be their only chance to be together for a long while and he wanted to savor it, to make it last as long as possible so he would have something he could look back at while she was incarcerated and _remember_. And so he allowed his fingers to roam, to tease and taunt, to notice the changes between now and then. But never once did they hesitate in their journey. He passed over the scars he'd seen the night before, allowing one finger to trace down their shape. He felt Troya stiffen at the touch, watched as she pulled back sharply mere moments after, but he tightened his other hand at her waist before slipping it beneath the waistband of her pants, curving down and around her hip.

The warmth of his hands against her skin had Troya pulling back, gasping at the deliciousness of it, but it was the closer inspection of her scars that had her pausing with concern. A flash of memory, of angry and heated words exchanged, a reunion turned sour, caught her up for just a moment. But it was the insistence of his hand at her hip, pressing her closer, that convinced her it was not being shared just then. So she shifted, moving an arm up, settling it around his strong, broad shoulders as she groaned again. At the same time, a small shudder rippled through her as his hand continued moving, sliding down and around her curves. His touch against her skin had always fascinated her. The feel of his skin moving against hers, the energy of his biotics as they flared around him carrying over to her, the sensual kiss of desire inspiring movement and touch and more. Shifting some more, Troya finally settled herself over him, straddling his lap before lowering her lips to his and meeting them fully for the first time in years.

Kaidan's hand stopped roaming against her as her lips caught his. His breath hitched, the scent and taste of her suddenly overwhelming him all at once. Of the two of them, she'd always been the more feisty, so this move came as no surprise. Where he tended to lean towards a slow and steady buildup, she would often try for the unexpected, searching for shock and suddenness to enhance the experience. It still marveled him that the two could blend together so well, leading them to a level of fulfillment that more than satisfied them both.

Her hands framed his face, tilting his head at an angle to better connect them. She wasn't surprised when his hands flailed for a moment at her assault tactics. The reaction was almost as familiar to her as the features of his face. She traced her fingers over it now in the lightest of caresses, memorizing the changes - new lines here, a bit of grey in his temples there, age, stress and time taking their toll but resulting only in adding more character to the face she already loved so dearly.

Kaidan groaned softly as her fingers barely made contact. Light as her touches were, they had him reacting more quickly than he'd hoped for, and yet at the same time told him of her own hesitations and worries. In response, he lifted one of his hands to her face, caressing her cheek for a brief moment before sliding back into the thickness of her hair, loosening the tie at the base of her neck until the dark waves fell free around her shoulders. Tightening his grip, he pressed her closer and, with a soft growl, took the kiss even deeper. Lips and tongues met again in a flurry of motion, fighting a battle for dominance that neither would give in to.

Breaking contact at last, Troya sat back, just enough to give her a bit of space as she sucked in huge gasps of air. Eyes locked on his, she could not deny the sharp pull inside of her chest, in her heart, as she simply took him in. She whispered his name again, barely audible over the sounds of their combined breathing, before lifting her hand to trace his lips. She felt a smile pull, and a bark of laughter escape her lungs as he nipped at her fingertips, before kissing them with the gentleness she'd come to expect from him. Finally pulling away, she lowered her hands.

Kaidan thought perhaps she was going to echo his activities from earlier, but it became clear immediately that her intentions were focused elsewhere. Instead of searching out his skin beneath his shirt, she caught the hem of her sweater and tore it off, the crackling of static between sweater, shirt, bra and her hair the only other sound in the room. Once she was bare, though, he found himself momentarily stunned. Memories flashed through his mind. Comparisons from over two years before and now were made, and he struggled for a way to respond.

Troya watched his eyes go wide first before dropping to stare at her for a long moment. She was a soldier, marked in ways that only soldiers could be. Troya knew and accepted that. Most of the marks he was familiar with, had traced and memorized them during their time together before. But there were new ones mixed in as well. Some from her reconstruction, some from her missions since waking once again, the needy call of the galaxy too much for her to let it pass unchecked. But he must have recognized something there, she thought as his hand lifted to trace several of the scars after a long moment of hesitation. She could not hide her shivers of reaction.

Encouraged by her reactions to his touch, Kaidan leaned forward, trailing a line of kisses from collarbone to collarbone, following a path down across her chest in the process. As he did so, he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close. Her hands were not idle, either. As he continued to touch and tease and explore, he could feel her hands returning the favor. When the fabric of his shirt became an issue, her insistent tuggings managed to break through his concentration for the briefest of moments before he removed it so that they were now face to face, skin to skin. A quick glance at her eyes and he thought he could see just what sort of effect this was having on her. Definitely appreciative, though her eyes had a sort of glazed look to them …. Reaching out, he slid the palm of his hand to her cheek again, cupping it, his fingers brushing against loose strands of her hair. "Hey," he murmured huskily while guiding her to look directly at him, "you okay?"

Troya's eyes snapped to his, amusement mixing with something akin to panic - panic that he might stop. "I - I …," she stammered, searching for words and hating that she could not find them.

His hand guided her head forward so he could press a kiss to her forehead. "We don't have to -" he began.

"No!" Troya's protest was nearly torn out of her. "Don't you dare stop!" Launching herself towards him, she caught him off guard and fell backwards from the momentum, landing with a soft thud against the rug covering the floor.

"Ooof!" Kaidan did not release his hold on her even as the wind was forced from his lungs. "Okay! I … won't," he finally rasped in reassurance.

For a moment, Troya was horrified at what she'd done. Had she injured him with the force of her move? Eyes widening, she leaned over him, her hand reaching down to touch his shoulder. "Kaidan, I …. Are you okay?" she whispered.

Rather than nod at her in reassurance, Kaidan took a deep breath before lurching upward just enough to roll them both over until Troya was lying beneath him. Leaning in to kiss her soundly, he murmured, "Tell me if this answers your question," before pulling away to start trailing kisses along the lines and contours of her body. He knew each and every muscle from before. The sensitive areas, the ones to avoid, and the ones that drove her absolutely wild. As he continued, his hands moved to start following before breaking off to trace their own patterns and designs before wandering off into separate destinations. With each shuddering breath and gasp he pulled from her, Kaidan took her another step forward.

Beneath his onslaught, Troya felt her body responding of its own free will. Though she had no problems with it, the disconnect left her feeling a bit outside of things, almost as if she was observing what was happening instead of directly participating. She tried to change that, lifting her arms towards him, reaching for his belt and loosening it, lifting a leg to wrap around his waist. She lifted her hips for him as he echoed her motions and removed the remainder of her clothing. As soon as that obstacle was out of the way he quickly moved to finish what she'd started before. The feel of his body sliding fully against hers as he moved back to her side had her smiling up at him.

By this point, the need to touch each other outweighed the necessity for dominance and what had started as something slow and gentle quickly gathered steam. Hands traveling over familiar territory coupled with dedicated purpose to elicit the most delightful of sounds from the both of them. No more was it taking turns, waiting to see how the other would react, instead it became a competition of sorts: Who could make the other groan louder? Which of them would shudder first as hands, fingers and lips explored completely? Gasps, moans, shivers and quaking all took on new and yet readily familiar context, openly encouraging the other to find ways to take it just a bit beyond until finally, together, they found the end they sought.

Fulfillment. Contentment. Hope, for the moment at least, that things could be better between them once and for all.

Troya curled up against him, cuddling into his chest, sighing in satisfaction as his arm tightened around her waist, holding her close. Her hair fell across his shoulder almost like a blanket, and she turned to rest her chin upon her folded hands as she looked up at him. She smirked as she saw him glance at her, arching a brow in question. "What?" he murmured, hand idly stroking her back and spine as he waited for her answer.

"Oh, nothing," she replied offhandedly. "I was just thinking."

"What about?" If there was one thing that Kaidan knew, it was that gleam of mischief he could see behind her eyes.

Visibly fighting a laugh, Troya told him, "I was wondering if I might find a way to sneak you into my cell back home once in a while. You know, when you think about it, Hackett will owe me a thing or two. Perks for putting our lives on the line, or something?"

Kaidan chuckled and brought his other arm around her before rolling them over to their sides. Sighing softly, he leaned over to nuzzle gently against her neck. "Good luck with that," he murmured near her ear.

Troya groaned as his lips found that sensitive spot where her shoulder and neck joined. "God, Kaidan," she moaned, shivering in reaction, "I'll … oh please ... don't … stop …." She could feel Kaidan's laughter through her skin, trembling through her like the blood that kept her alive.

"I'll please you any way you want me to, Troy," he growled softly. "Just let me know -"

The mood was shattered by the sound of one of their omni-tools beeping in an all too familiar summons. Groaning, Troya turned and curled up against Kaidan. "Ignore it," she muttered, hiding her face in his shoulder.

Kaidan's laugh returned easily as he extricated himself and rose to his feet to cross the room. "Nothing quite like the call of duty, right?" he mused. Retrieving the offending device, he brought it over to her. "It's yours."

Sighing, Troya sat up and took the device while giving it a fierce scowl for good measure. "Of course it is." A moment later, she was pulling up a short message from the _Orizaba_.

_Storm winding down. Head to rendezvous point now. Return imminent. HS._

Frowning, Troya glanced up at Kaidan. "What the hell?"

Kaidan read the brief message over her shoulder. Shrugging, he offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet. Taking just a quick moment to kiss her once, he replied, "I have no idea, but it sounds like we're heading out. Let's plan to leave in half an hour."

Troya nodded absently in agreement, though inside she couldn't help but wonder more about her mother's cryptic message. This was so unlike Hannah, Troya suddenly found she couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone wrong with the mission despite the fact it was over.

* * *

"I trust you were successful?" Hannah asked once they'd boarded and found their way to her office. "No other destinations for us to go to?"

Troya shook her head. "We have resolved the matter and can head back to Earth now," she replied with confidence.

"Hmm. About that …."

Troya pulled her lip between her teeth at her mother's reaction. With a quick glance at Kaidan first, she asked, "Mum, what's wrong?"

Sighing, Hannah rose from behind her desk and reached for a datapad which she then passed over to Troya. "Anderson sent me that message yesterday. There's apparently been some trouble in London."

"Trouble?" Kaidan echoed as Troya began to read.

_Hannah -_

_It's imperative that the minute Moya and Major Alenko are back aboard you return them to Earth. Your destination will now be Vancouver HQ. There was an attack made against Troya in London, and the brass decided to relocate her to a more secure site. All is well, but the security presence is even tighter than before._

_David_

Handing the message over so Kaidan could read it, Troya glanced at her mother. Hannah simply shrugged when Troya lifted a brow in question, seeking further information. "You now know as much as I do," she replied.

Frowning, Troya turned toward Kaidan. He didn't appear to have any insights to offer, either. "Well, I guess we're headed to Vancouver then," Troya announced, though she still felt a bit disquieted by the sudden the change. Something had obviously occurred while she had been gone. What exactly that something was remained to be seen, though the timing of it had Troya wondering if it might not be related to events here on Elysium. Then again, that almost sounded like too much of a coincidence. At any rate, from the sound of it, the twins would soon be exchanging wild adventure stories even as they reclaimed their individual lives.

_FIN_

* * *

_**For any interested in following the adventures of the REAL Moya Shepard, her tale will be forthcoming in a story entitled DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE (this is what I've been working on for the entire month of November for NANOWRIMO). It likely will be published come springtime (much editing to be done!). Both Kaidan and Troya will return, but the focus will be on Moya as well as some of the other Normandy crew members ...**_


End file.
